


Want to Play a Game?

by SecretGhostGirl



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Blood, Childhood Memories, Fluff, I Don't Even Know, I Tried, M/M, Memories, Survival, Suspense
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-11-26
Updated: 2014-02-06
Packaged: 2018-01-02 17:52:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 23,282
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1059771
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SecretGhostGirl/pseuds/SecretGhostGirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Meet Eren Jaeger; 19 year old college student, loud, easily angered, easily amused, sometimes very anxious, wants to be a cop, but hates the sight of blood.</p><p>Meet Levi; 30 year old doctor, easily annoyed, usually keeps to himself, short, blunt, mysterious, yet also a bit narcissistic.</p><p>The two are kidnapped and thrown into a room with someone who calls himself "A.T." controlling their every move behind the scenes. They must do whatever he says, or be killed in a heartbeat.</p><p>In order to survive this little game and be set free, these two strangers must learn how to put up with one another's iffy qualities, past experiences, and current feelings.</p><p>((Writing summaries scare me))<br/>((I do not own the characters, or series/references))</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Let us begin, shall we?

**Author's Note:**

> Ugh, I am really bad at describing things. I hope you guys were pulled into this story by it, though!
> 
> Just so you know, this is not my first fanfic of any kind, but I will eventually post my first one, plus the others I have written before it ^.^
> 
> I will hopefully update this one every day or two, depending on work, etc.
> 
> I'm stepping out of comfort zone a bit on this story, so please bear with me if things seem weird... XP

~Eren's p.o.v.~

**********

It's cold; the air, the floor, the - wait. I'm laying on the floor. I don't recall doing this. I never fall asleep on the floor, let alone a cold, tiled one. I can hear the sound of drops of water falling in a certain rhythm that sort of sticks out in my mind and is rather annoying. The room feels very muggy and damp, similar to a sauna.

Wait a minute. Where the hell am I? I can't move my hands; they are tied up behind my back. I can't move my legs; they are tied up at my ankles. The sudden taste of blood becomes known in my mouth and now I can sense it's stickiness on my face. I cringe in pain and I slowly open my eyes.

It's as if I didn't even open my eyes at all. The room is very dark, no lights on whatsoever. I can't make out a lot of details, except for the fact that the room has tiled floors. I can't even make out what color the tiles are. I let out a groan and try to sit myself up.

I remember now - I was on my way to meet my best friends, Mikasa and Armin at a small cafe in the middle of the city. It's almost time for finals, and summer is rearing it's ugly, but beautiful head, so the three of us were going to indulge ourselves in some comforting iced coffees. I was in a hurry to get to the cafe before they did when I was suddenly stopped by a tall, suspicious man wearing a trench coat who needed directions to the hospital on the east side of the city. Though I did question to myself why he was wearing that dark, heavy thing when it was over 80 degrees outside, I just simply gave him the directions he wanted and left it at that. When I turned around to continue my rushing, I was struck on the head by some kind of metal object, possibly a pipe.

That explain the river of blood flowing down my face.

"Oi, you're finally awake, brat?"

I gasp, "Who's there?" The voice doesn't sound familiar. It's very deep and mysterious, sending chills throughout my entire body. I can tell where the voice is coming from, but I don't see the person responsible for the voice that has me slightly curious. He doesn't answer me.

I cough, "Who are you?"

His tongue clicks, "I should be asking you that same question."

"Do you know where I am?

"Hey, stick to one damn question at a time, kid," he pauses, then sighs, "Levi... My name is Levi."

I can't even see the guy. I don't know if I should trust him telling him my name, but he did tell me his, so I grit my teeth, "Eren."

"Eren... Well, to answer your other question, no. I have no idea where the fuck we are. I'm in the same boat as you, damn brat."

This guy, Levi... His attitude pisses me off. I don't know if it's his nature, or due to the fact he's stuck in this room with no idea what's going on. I really hope it's the second reason. After a bit of a struggle, I finally manage it sit myself up, wincing at the pain the shoots throughout my body. My head feels heavy and I start to feel nauseous, as if I were drugged or something during the time I was out cold.

"Hey... Levi," I ask quietly, "do you know how you got here?"

"Not a damn clue, kid. Don't remember a thing."

"Oh, I see... And hey, I'm not a kid! I'm 19 years old!"

He groans, "That's still a kid in my eyes."

"You don't sound much other than me, though..."

"Think again; I've been 30 since this past December."

"Thir-" Suddenly, the lights flick on. My eyes dart straight to a man who is handcuffed to a pole above his head. I can get a better look at this Levi guy now. He doesn't appear to very tall; guesstimating at around 5'3". His hair is dark like the night sky, parted perfectly under the middle with a slight undercut. His eyes are solid grey and a total mystery of their own. You could stare into those eyes all day and have so many questions. His clothing - he looks like he was wearing some kind of suit, except no jacket, no tie, and his white bottom up long sleeve is all battered up and covered in blood... His own blood. Despite the scowl on his face, along with the few cuts and bruises, he is fairly handsome.

To avoid him accusing me of staring, I begin to look around the room. White. Tiled, of course. Just plain ordinary. There is a sink, which might be the source of the annoying water dripping. There are poles attached to the walls and ceiling EVERYWHERE. it appears to be some kind of boiler room. That could explain why it's so hot in here, but then again, maybe this is just some weird room... Anything is possible.

What catches my eye next is what's laying on the floor in the corner of the room parallel to Levi; two dead bodies. Two dead bodies?! Two unknown, random, dead bodies... A pool of blood surrounding them, their bodies on top of one another, face down. I wasn't expecting that - now I really have to vomit.

I see pail directly to my right screaming my name. I scoot over to it as fast as my tied up body could take me, then my stomach does the talking.

"Ugh, that's fucking disgusting, brat," Levi turns his gaze from me. "Fucking warn me next time, okay?"

"Well," I cough, trying to ignore the fowl taste left in my mouth, " how else was I supposed to react to that?! Aren't you even the slightest bit grossed out by seeing to random dead bodies?!"

"For your damn information," he huffs, "even though it is none of your business, my job consists of me seeing a dead body or two from time to time. This doesn't phase me."

The taste won't go away, "job?"

"I'm a doctor."

"A doctor? Wow, I never would've guessed..."

"Why say that? You know nothing about me."

"I-I know, it's just-"

"Whatever, kid," he flicks one of his hands up, dropping the subject. "Well, you appear to be in college, am I right? What in the hell are you studying to be?"

I swallow lightly, my throat throbbing in pain, "A... Police officer."

"An officer, huh," he let out a chuckle, "You know, brat, if you can't handle seeing a dead body or two, you're not going to survive on the job. Shit happens. Things get fucked up."

I bite my bottom lip to hold back all of the frustration raging through my body. Levi's right. I know he's right. I just don't want to admit it out loud.

When I was younger, 10 years old to be exact, Mikasa and I witnessed my parents get shot and killed right before our eyes. I had to sit there and watch blood pour out of my parents' stomachs waiting for the cops and the paramedics to arrive. Ever since, I was never a fan of blood; even my own. Hell, I'd freak out every time I got a paper cut, fearing I'd see blood. But, the reason behind me wanting to be a cop and get over this fear, is because bastards like the ones who killed my parents don't deserve to see the light of day. I want to bring justice to the loved ones of the victims...

Following their deaths, I moved in to live with Armin and his grandfather. I got offered to stay with Mikasa and her parents, but I had the feeling Armin could use a buddy to be with. His grandfather was and has always been a kind man. He would always treat me as if I was his own grandchild, spoiling me, and showing me the love and warm, fuzzy feelings a family should have. Like my parents had...

The anger building up in my body forces tears to swell up in my eyes. I guess it's that kind of anger that makes me ashamed at myself. I drop my head, hoping Levi doesn't see this pathetic side of me.

I hear him let out a breath, "Look, I didn't mean to say that for you to get all emotional and shit over it. You don't have to explain your reasons why you're getting all emotional on me either."

For some odd reason, hearing him say those words, the tears stop. It would always take Mikasa and Armin a long ass time to get them to calm me down, but Levi says two sentences and immediately my body shuts down. 

I remember when I discovered Armin had three roommates our first day at college while I was stuck in a room all to myself. Jean, Marco, and Connie were their names. Connie is definitely an energetic one, who would always have a smile on his face 24/7. Marco is an angel, no, he's a freckled Jesus. You can't find anything negative about him. Except for maybe his best friend is Jean. Jean. He is a character for sure. Definitely a source of my anger issues. But he's not a bad guy. 

Sure, a room all to myself sounded great at first, but I realized after three days how lonely I really was. I broke down in a angry mess of tears; an anxiety attack. I started having those a lot since my parents passed. It took Armin a whole hour to calm me down, then they made room for me in their giant college dorm.

I sniff, "Sorry, Levi. I can't help it sometimes."

"You don't have to tell me anything now. Right now, we should be thinking of a way to get out of here."

I nod.

Suddenly, a television descends from the ceiling in the opposite corner of the room from Levi. It looks fairly old, but it's suspending from two thick wires. The screens goes staticky, then reveals a face. An all metal face. I can't tell if it's a robot, or a person wearing a very detailed mask. Levi and I stare at the t.v in awe before it speaks.

"Good afternoon. Eren Jaeger... I'm sorry I had to cut your plans with your best friends short, but this is very important."

How... How did they know I was going to meet Mikasa and Armin? I try to speak, my no words are leaving my mouth.

"And Mr. Rivaille, I assume your friend won't mind that you miss your 5 o'clock meeting to discus your offices new medical policies."

I see Levi's scowl grow angry and cold, "Who the hell are you?" Rivaille? Is that his last name? Or is that his actual name? Levi and I are strangers. I shouldn't be worrying about this...

The metal face smirks, "They call me "A.T", Rivaille. I'm so glad you asked."

Levi groans in pain, but also in anger. He responded to "Rivaille." I know I shouldn't be so curious about this man handcuffed in front of me, but I can't help it...

"Rivaille?"

"Tch," Levi drops his gaze away from me, "that's my family name, kid, but I left that name long ago. You don't need to know my sob story."

My chest grows tight with disappointment.

The face chuckles, "I see two haven't gotten very friendly yet. That's too bad. You two are going to have to get to know each other a lot more if you want to leave this place."

Levi huffs, "What the hell are you talking about?"

The creepiest, most devilish grin appears on the face, "Say, you two. I want to play a game. Do you two want to play a game? You have no choice. You have to play in order to survive."

Levi and I meet each other's eyes in confusion.

"I will explain the rules. Let us begin, shall we?"


	2. Wait Your Turn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "A.T." discusses the first game; Levi teases Eren a little bit; the first game begins.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I couldn't wait until tomorrow to post this.
> 
> I'm happy you all like this so far! :D
> 
> Thank you for all the hits + kudos :3

~Levi's p.o.v~

**********

Great. Just my fucking luck.

One minute I'm on my way to the hospital for a very important meeting with my boss, Erwin (who happens to be a good friend since high school), the next I'm getting jumped by a man on a deserted street. The one day I decided to walk to work because Hanji kept on nagging me through the telephone _you need to get out and smell the roses, Levi, or you'll start shrinking before you're 50._ Damn four eyes...

I eventually came to my senses to find three people standing over me shoving pills down my throat. These people were drugging me to shut me up. That definitely worked.

I then awoke who knows how long later to find one of three people tossing an unconscious teenage boy into the room with me. That's when I also discovered me being handcuffed to a wall. My cell phone was no where to be found. Technically, none of my belongings were in the room with me at all. I chuckled to myself, thinking there are some clever people out there in the world.

The kid was out for what seemed like quite awhile. I couldn't tell what he looked like now, but I could tell when they threw him in the room with me that he was bleeding pretty badly. Maybe they killed him and wanted me to suffer, thinking I can't save everyone that gets handed to me. When I heard the kid groan in pain, I was actually a bit relieved that he wasn't dead.

When the lights were finally turned on again, I got to see what he really looked like; messy brown hair, like he needs a hair cut; very tall and thin, but you could tell he had a muscle or two on him; and those bright, round, green eyes could stop traffic at an intersection instead of telling them to go. Those eyes are prettier than most women I've seen. Frankly, I tend to judge a man's appearance more than a woman's though, only because I find slightly more attractive than women (in most cases). This kid wasn't so bad looking though.

This kid, Eren... He broke down when he saw the two dead bodies in the corner of the room. The bodies did make my stomach churn a little bit, because of course, **dead bodies** , but being a doctor and having all of the perks that come with it, seeing them shouldn't be a surprise. I could definitely tell the kid was having some sort of episode - he was freaking more than someone would for not knowing the two lifeless bodies in the room. Something in his past must be a factor in this. Cheering people up, you can put that on the "not one of Levi's strongest qualities" list. Seeing the tears swell up in his eyes, I wanted to shove his face in my chest and tell him that sometimes, shit doesn't happen, and that he didn't have to worrying about anything.

And then this fucking "A.T." bastard, with his metal face and shit... He's definitely one of the three people who drugged me. Instinct. I just don't know who he really is. This game of his - Eren and I are his pawns...

"I will explain the rules. Let us begin, shall we?"

All I do is glare at him; I figured that's a good enough answer for him. Knowing Eren from the five minutes I had spoken to him, he's probably fiddling with his thumbs behind his back, not knowing what to say.

The man behind the screen laughs, "Take a chill pill, you two. Stop being so tense. I won't kill you two if you guys just follow the rules I'm about to give you."

I chuckle, "And what are the fucking rules, exactly?"

He grins again, "The rules are simple. Do exactly what I say in the amount of time you are given and you can live. Plain and simple. The rules are as simple as that. But this game, I only need one of you right now," his gaze is drawn to Eren. "You, Jaeger. Get yourself untied."

Eren jumps, getting startled, "H-How?"

"Think of a way. You have 5 minutes. Whether you do or don't, my partner will come in after you."

The screens goes to static. You can see the panic in Eren's eyes; his spirit has probably left his body already. I can only think of one way for the kid to get himself free within 5 minutes.

"Oi, Eren."

His eyes dart up in a panic as I say, "Scoot your way over here. I can help you get untied in time."

I can see the hesitation in his eyes and I say, "Do you want to fucking die, kid? I don't think so. Now scoot."

His faces flushes slightly with embarrassment as he tries to slide across the floor towards me in the most non embarrassing way possible. The second he gets to my side, his face is even redder with embarrassment. I try to ignore how cute it is and stay focus, "Now lift your feet in the air."

"Come again?"

"Just stick your fucking feet in the air, Jaeger. In front of my right hand."

Without questioning me again, he lays on his back and sticks his feet up in the air, just high enough for my hands to touch the scarf keeping his legs together. This is definitely some knot they got on him. I bet you the ones keeps his hands behind his back are twice as worse as this one. Luckily, my military experience, thanks to Erwin, had me specialize in untying difficult knots with one hand.

_Bet you didn't see that one coming, damn "A.T."_

His legs are untied in no time. Still laying on his back, he flails his legs in the air with amazement. He turns to me with a warm smile. Again, I try to ignore it and cough, "Can you stand yourself up, Eren?"

He tries to stand up, stumbling a little bit, but he manages. The kid must be a little bit of a natural klutz.

"Now turn your back to me so I can untie your hands."

With a nod, he turns around and backs up so my hand touches the scarf that has his hands tied together. Just as a thought, this one is worse. Fumbling with this knot, I would occasionally brush my fingers against the palms of his hands and his fingers. I would see his back stiffen up and his hand grow warm with every touch. This kid... I don't know if I find his awkwardness adorable or slightly annoying. I have the slight urge to test his awkwardness myself.

Surprisingly, I got this knot untied faster than the one around his ankles. Eren sighs with relief, and I smirk. Immediately after his sigh, I give his young boy butt a small grab. He yelps, covering his behind and jumping away from me. His face is bright red, and he is lost for words. I can't help but laugh a little bit, "Hey, you're free."

"B-B-But-"

"Yours is nice, I know, but mine is better."

"W-What?!"

This kid is just too funny.

Suddenly, a door unknown to the both of us opens in the corner of the room. "A.T."s so called partner stands before us. He, too, is wearing some kind of mask; this one is all muscle. The muscles of the face. He is abnormally tall, but then again, everyone taller than me is abnormally tall. I mean, this guy is a giant. He points at Eren, then signals with his finger from Eren to follow him out of the room.

Eren turns to the man, "But what about Levi?"

He shakes his head no.

"I'll be fine. It's in the rules. The first game is yours. I have to wait my turn."

Eren doesn't say a word back to me. He's obviously worried about me being stuck in this room by myself.

I let out a sigh, "Dammit, kid. Stop worrying about me. Just come back to me alive, okay?"

He smiles, "I will."

I watch his bright green eyes disappear beyond that mysterious door, wishing he wasn't the first victim here...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had to end it there.   
> I know how I want to write the first game, I just need to bring it into words...
> 
> Hope you stick around though!
> 
> Thanks for reading! :D


	3. Another 5 Minutes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first game begins; Eren is a little suspicious; Levi and Eren get to know each other

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This frustrated me a little bit, but I finally finished it :D
> 
> Hope you all enjoy!
> 
> Don't hate me too much...

~Eren's p.o.v.~

**********

Follow this guy; that's all I have to do. I mean, now that I'm not tied up anymore, I could make a run for it. I probably could get out of here safe and sound, guarantee I'd mostly have a broken limb or two, but I'd at least be alive. But if I ran, what about Levi?

He told me to come back to him... Alive at that. If I ran, there still is that likelihood that someone would catch me and kill me. And if that happens, he'll be all alone. For some odd reason, I feel the need that I want to stay by him. I want to talk to him and get to know him better. At least, that's what this "A.T." guy wants us to do as well. I have to complete this game.

This guy taking me to the first game... He isn't "A.T." Just who is he?

I look up at him as I follow behind him, "Um... Who are you?"

No answer.

"Are you "A.T."s partner?"

He nods. Well, that's a start.

"Where are you taking me, partner of "A.T."?"

After a brief moment of silence, he answers, "You will find out soon enough, Eren."

His voice. It sounded... Way too sweet. By sweet, I mean like a calm voice. There was also a hint of guilt in his voice, too. In this partnership these two have, I believe "A.T." Definitely calls the shots here. He's probably the one who came up with all of this. This poor guy most likely got dragged to do his dirty work with him over a guilt trip.

My mom used to make me do chores over guilt trips. When someone you love does those, you can't resist feeling horrible and complying with them. Maybe this guy is in the same boat...

He comes to a hauls suddenly, forcing me to run into his back. I jump back away from him, expecting him to yell at me for not paying attention. He turns around to me, revealing a door and whispers, "We're here."

He opens the door to a pitch black room. Great, more darkness. You know what that means... I take a deep breath and slowly take baby steps into the room.

"Eren."

I turn around to face this stranger as he tells me, "You can call me "C.T." Good luck with your first game."

Then suddenly, the door closes and darkness surrounds me. I take a deep breath, exhale slowly, then begin taking small steps into the room. The air in this room feels colder than the room Levi and I are being held in. It stinks, too, and I mean _stinks._ Probably worse than that smell that gets caught in your nose when you change a baby's poopy diaper for the first time. Thanks to my klutziness, I trip over something laying in the room and tumble face first. The landing didn't hurt, though, because something broke my fall. 

"Welcome to game 1, Eren."

The lights flick on to reveal me laying in a pile of dead bodies. The room is filled with them, including just random body parts cut from their hosts, with blood smeared all over the wall. I even found my name written in blood in big letters.

 _**EREN EREN EREN EREN EREN EREN EREN EREN**_

I kept on reading it over and over again, until I felt nauseous. I can't throw up. I need to show this guy I'm not afraid. Doing that action means I lose already, though he probably won't kill me for doing that. I clench my fist and straighten my back, showing him no fear.

"Well then," I assume "A.T." can see me, "looks like you're ready to go, Eren. I will begin by asking you... How does it feel to be untied?"

A bit confused, I answer, "Good, I guess."

"Now how do you think your friend _Levi_ would feel being able to roam free like you can now?"

"What do you mean?"

"Somewhere in this room, is a key to unlock his freedom... From the handcuffs, that is. It is your job to find it."

I glance around the room, "You really want to fuck with me, do you?"

He chuckles, "Oh, Eren. When did you get such a fowl mouth? After your parents were killed? Because I remember you being the most darling little boy with a clean mouth that would never let a fowl word even think about slipping his tongue."

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU KNOW ABOUT ME?!"

He's laughing now, "Calm down, Eren. Now, you have exactly 5 minutes to find the key, or I will be sending in the dogs. They haven't eaten in a while, and I'm sure they're in the mood for some dessert," he pauses, "Now, for the sake of your life, and Levi's freedom... Let the games begin."

A clock appears on the wall directly in front of me, signaling that 5 minutes has begun. Frankly, the idea of "digging through random dead bodies for some man I barely know" was never on my bucket list, but this isn't about me. If I don't find this key, Levi won't be able to move around freely and find a way to escape himself; he'd be trapped forever. It feels weird knowing his life is in my hands right now.

I begin to dig through the first pile of bodies I spot. Feeling their sticky blood on my fingers, and the coldness of their skin - it puts the hairs on my body standing on end. With no luck, I move on to the next. What does this key even look like anyway. I imagine it's pretty small, since it is a handcuff key, but I totally don't remember what those look like. And here I want to be a cop...

I quickly glance up at the clock; 2 minutes have past. _2 fucking minutes already?!_ I run from one corner of the room to the next, and I begin to literally throw bodies in the air, hoping maybe a key would just fall from one of them. When that corner has no luck, I begin to scan the room. Somehow, the thought _if I were "A.T." and I wanted to fuck with a person who is afraid of blood, where would I hide a key?_ came in my mind. That's when I hit me. 

In front of the door, I didn't realize it, but there's a pool of blood. Ignoring the fact that I walked through I pool of blood, I get on my knees and stick my hands in the pool of cold, redness. I move my hands around in it, as if I were washing my hands with blood. I gaze up at the clock; 30 seconds are left. That's when I begin to panic. I literally begin throwing blood behind me, as if I was a dog digging in the ground, ignoring the dirt being thrown behind me.

*clink*

_You gotta be kidding me..._

My body shoots around to find the key laying directly behind me in front of the pile of bodies I had looked at prior to the pool of blood. I crawl on my hands and knees, leap of the key, then let out a cry, "I GOT IT!!"

The clock stops; 4 more seconds were left. A sigh of relief leaves me body. I lay on the ground, my breathing is very shaken and uneven. 

"Well done, Eren," I hear "A.T." announce, "You faced your fear like a pro. Now.., it's time to go back."

Some kind of gas fills the room. I have no time to react to it before I feel my whole body shut down, and my vision goes black...

________________________________________________

~ Levi's p.o.v. ~

**********

How long has it been... Since The kid left this dark room? It doesn't feel like it's been hours, but it surely feels like a long time. The air in here feels colder, and this silence is killing me. I actually would prefer to listen to Eren ramble on about nothing than deal with this bone chilling silence all by myself. 

My hands begin to cramp up. They do that pretty often since they handcuffed me to this wall. I try to stretch my hands out by clenching then unclenching my fists. I feel my stomach shake a bit; I can't possibly be hungry right now. But then, I don't have a damn clue has to how long I've been here, so that means I don't remember when my last meal was.

_Tch. This is all bullshit._

Suddenly, the door flies open. The light behind it burns my eyes a bit. The man who escorted Eren out of the room comes back with Eren thrown over his shoulder. He sets the kid down on the ground in front of me. I find myself saying his name, but he is unresponsive. 

"He should be waking up within the next few minutes," the tall guy tells me, then quietly leaves the room.

My gaze follows him, then drops back to the boy in front of me. He is covered from head to toe in blood, but there isn't a single scratch on him. Must be someone else's blood then... What the hell did they make him do? I feel guilt and sorrow for him swell up in my chest. What the hell are they going to make me do when it's my turn? I try to ignore that last question and focus on waking Eren up.

"Oi, Eren. Wake up."

No response.

"Come on, you cheeky brat. Don't sleep on me and leave me alone here."

He lets out a breath. I count that as a response.

"Say something already. Wake up."

He groans and lifts his head up off the ground. Somehow, I feel a bit relieved that this kid didn't die on me. He turns to me; his eyes are barely open, but all I see is fear trapped in those green orbs, "Levi..."

"Eren. What happened? What did you do?"

He slowly sat up all the way, then crawled over to sit next to me, wrapping his arms around his knees, "They took me to a room filled with dead bodies, and blood smeared everywhere. It was terrifying. Completely... Terrifying. I had 5 minutes to find a key."

"Key? What key?"

"This key," he pulls a small, silver key from his pocket and hold it out in front of me. "The key to unlock your handcuffs."

He sends me a soft smile, then stands up to unlock my right hand, then my left. Without saying a word to him, I bring my hands in front of face, rotating my aching wrists. The kid covers himself in other people's blood just to find a key? Something about dead bodies really must get the kid's fear nerves on edge. He really faced his fear to get me this key.

I turn to him and mumble, "Thank you."

His smile grows warm and happy. At least he's smiling after that. That's really all that matters right now. The two of us sit side by side in silence for a while. The lights still haven't turned back on - I've come to a conclusion that they will turn on when it is time to start a game. Maybe that is true.

Suddenly, Eren nudges me, "Hey, Levi. Let's play 20 questions."

I huff, "What are we, 10?"

"N-No. It's just... "A.T." Said we have to get to know each other, right? Well, I don't know much about you, except for your name, age, job, and the fact that you're a stick in the mud."

"A fucking stick in the -"

"Let me finish," his gaze drops to his hands. "I know it sounds really stupid, but what if knowing more things about each other could give us a better chance of getting out of here? Haven't you thought of that? All I could think about when I searched for that key was that fact I know barely anything about you. I thought about that more than my own life."

_This kid and his words..._

I sigh, "You have a point, kid. But just because "A.T." Said it, doesn't mean anything. If this "A.T." guy told you to fuck your best friend, would you?"

His face turns completely red, "What in the world are you talking about?!"

"My point is, don't go believing every word he says. He's trying to make you feel small. Got it?"

He nods, the turns away from me. I lean back against the wall again, thinking this kid has a lot of things that make him tick. I really don't know a lot about him either. His name is Eren; his last was Jaeger (right?); he's a 19 college kid who wants to be a cop, but dead bodies freak him out; he's self conscious about his ass; he gets embarrassed easily...

That's all I really know?

I sigh, "Well, aren't you going to ask me a question, brat?"

His green eyes sparkle with happiness as the first question spits out of his mouth like word vomit, "Are you foreign?"

"Really? That's your first shitty question?"

He drops his gaze from me and gives me an awkward smile, which I can't help but chuckle to, "I was born in London, but my whole family is French."

"Do you speak any French as well?"

"Une question à la fois, gamin. Ce n'est pas votre tour."

"I have no idea what you just said, but that sounded awesome."

"Hmph, now tell me kid, what makes you freaked out about dead bodies so much. Why do you become a wreck?

The happiness he had immediately disappears as he leans back up against the wall next to me, our shoulders touching, "I witnessed my parents get shot and killed in front of me. I had to sit with their dead bodies before the police arrived. There was nothing a 10 year old like me could do.

I didn't know what else to say but, "I'm so sorry, kid."

"They are part of the reason why I want to be a cop myself... And because bastards who kill people don't deserve to live."

His words were heavy as they flowed out of his mouth, but you can tell he meant every single one of them. His body starts to shake with rage and frustration.

I sigh, "Next question, kid."

We talk and ask each other questions for what feels like forever. I tell him why I go by _Levi_ instead of _Rivaille_ anymore; he tells me about his best friends, Mikasa and Armin, and about his other friends Connie, Sasha, Marco, and Jean (who he doesn't seem to be fond of, but doesn't have a problem with.) I tell him about my friends, Erwin and Hanji. I tell him about how I work for Erwin and Hanji is a scientist that helps out with the hospital when it comes to autopsies and such. I tell him about crazy I find Hanji and about Erwin and I had a thing back in college. Looks like I was the one with the word vomit.

"Levi... You like guys?"

With a shrug, I answer, "I'm counting this as one of your questions, brat. And yes, I like guys, but I also like women. I'm bi, but I don't prefer one over the other."

That was half a lie, and half the truth. I don't mind being if either a man or a woman, but I do find men more attractive than woman. Im not going to say that out loud, because I know that would lead me to telling the kid I find him good looking.

"Oh," is all he can say.

"Well, what about you? What way do you swing your bat?"

"Uh, well, I've had only one relationship with a girl, which was my freshman year of high school, and it didn't go so well. I've never considered if I liked men or not, but I'm not afraid to admit if a guy is good looking or not."

_The complete opposite of me in this category... Not bad, kid._

Random questions come up; favorite movies, songs, artists, food, more music, etc, along with where we want to go in the world before we die, and many other things on our bucket lists. I guess being trapped in this room made the two of us realize all of the things we've always wanted to do. Eren told me he would love to see what France is like. I told him if things work out and we don't end up dying horrible death and escape with skin on our bones, then I would consider taking him to France with me someday. I've never seen a brighter face like his light up when I said that.

I can faintly see Eren's eyes grow heavy as he's struggling to keep them awake.

"Getting tired, brat?"

"Aren't you?"

"Not really. But you still have one more question left."

"Oh yeah... I do," he pauses, then pokes my shoulder, "Can I use your lap as a pillow?"

I groan, but give in without thinking about it, "Fine. You're lucky I'm dirty already otherwise that blood covered head of yours wouldn't be touching me right now."

I lay my legs flat on the ground and he immediately lays his head on my thighs and says, "You never told me why you're such a clean freak in the first place."

"Not my fault you ran out of question now, brat."

He didn't say anything back to me, because he already fell asleep. I can feel the tickle of his breath on my leg down to my knees. From a first glance, you don't realize how much this kid has really gone through. Now you can add "kidnapped and thrown into a room with an older guy who finds him slightly attractive, and forces the two to do stupid games" to the list of this kid's life.

As hides breathing gets heavier and he starts to shake, I run my fingers through his messy, blood covered hair to calm him down and begin to pet his head. I can faintly see the ends of his lips perk up into a smile, which also calms me down a bit. I wonder if the boy's mother used to do this to him when she was around. From what he told me about her, she seemed like a wonderful woman who truly loved her son. His father worked two jobs, but whenever he was home, he would spend time with Eren doing father-son activities no matter how tired he was.

I has told Eren my parents worked a lot, but I didn't tell that they worked so much to the point I never saw them. My parents were wealthy, and could afford nannies to take care of me and my needs. I was a spoiled rotten brat who wanted the life Eren had, and I realized it.

I am envious of the life Eren had before his parents passed away.

I was done with my parents before I entered my last year in middle school that once I entered high school and meet Erwin and Hanji, I would go back and forth staying at their houses to the point both of their parents considered me the child they never had.

The lights flick on; the tall man is back and he points at me.

I run my fingers through Eren's hair one more time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Translation*  
> "Une question à la fois, gamin. Ce n'est pas votre tour." - "One question at a time, kid. It is not your turn."
> 
> I hate cliff hangers, but I keep ending my chapters with them xD
> 
> The last sentences tugged on my heart strings...
> 
> Hope you all enjoyed! I hope to have the next chapter up tomorrow night, or Friday morning :)


	4. Travel Back in Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A flashback; it is Levi's turn to play the game; even tough guys can get embarrassed sometimes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really wanted to post his sooner, but I haven't been feeling the best because I have been working non stop since Thanksgiving ._.
> 
> But better late than never!
> 
> I hope you enjoy :)

~ Eren's p.o.v. ~

**********

_**"Eren! It's almost noon! You need to wake up!"**_

_**My mother's voice is faint and muffled, but seeing as I can hear the tone of her voice while she's downstairs in the kitchen, I know she's upset with me.** _

_**I groan and roll over to the other side of my bed. My eyes feel very heavy and crusty, my head is throbbing slightly, and my stomach feels like it's inside out - the aftermath of staying up all night trying to beat Kingdom Hearts. I don't believe it is almost noon, but I do slightly, just slightly, believe I should get up out of bed.** _

_**There's a knock at my door, "Eren," it's Armin, "your mom let me in this morning. You, Mikasa, and I were supposed to go the market earlier, but you must've stayed up playing video games again."** _

_**I groan again. And this is why Armin is my best guy friend - he knows me way too well. That groan was a signal that he could come in my room. My room. Normally, for a 10 year old, your room is supposed to have posters, and toy guns, and dirty clothes everywhere... But not mom. My mom is super picky about my room and says that if it isn't presentable, Mikasa and Armin can't come over. She's good at guilt tripping me to do my chores.** _

_**As Armin enters my room, I sit up in my bed and scratch my head, giving a small yawn. Armin chuckles, "Kingdown Hearts, again?"** _

_**I nod.** _

_**He sits down next to my on my bed, "Mikasa is down stairs helping your mom with lunch, or breakfast in your case."** _

_**"Which is?"** _

_**"Pancakes. Your mom always wants to makes sure you have some kind of breakfast food."** _

_**I smile. That's my mom. She thinks breakfast food is comfort food. I have to agree with her.** _

_**I slowly crawl out of bed, as if I had just awoke from the dead. Armin helps me pick out my clothes for the day. I had showered last night before playing my video games, so I change right away. Armin and I head downstairs to find Mikasa and my mom preparing lunch while my father sits at the kitchen table reading the Sunday paper while drinking a cup of coffee. He takes a sip then chuckles, "Well, look who finally decided to join us..."** _

_**"Dad..." I groan.** _

_**Mikasa smiles, "Good morning, Eren."** _

_**"'Morning, Mikasa," I sit down at the kitchen table.** _

_**"Oh, no you don't," my mom waves her spachula in the air, "We are almost out of butter, and as your punishment for sleeping in, you have to run to the store to buy me some."** _

_**I groan, but this time, it's out of annoyance, "But, mom..."** _

_**"Don't you "mom" me. Just do this for me, okay? You can drag Mikasa and Armin along with you."** _

_**"Carla, don't drag the innocent into his mess," my father laughs.** _

_**"No, it's okay," Armin smiles, "I'll go."** _

_**Mikasa nods, "Me too."** _

_**"Alright," my mother hands me a $20 bill and kisses my forehead, "Now please don't take to long because you decided to pick a fight with the deli guy."** _

_**"Hey, the jerk started it last time. He shorted me on my turkey."** _

_**All mom did was smile and kiss me on the forehead again. Mikasa, Armin, and I put on our fall coats as we told my parents we'd be back quickly, while my two best friends promised they'd keep me from starting any fights. We step out into the outdoors of fall; the leaves changing into shades of orange, red and brown; pumpkins with faces carved into them outside of houses; the crispy cool air slightly tickling your nose; and-**_

Cold. It's cold. How long have I been this cold? My body, and tears slowing streaming down my face.

I awake from the dream and immediately wipe away my tears. They won't stop. Because the dream wasn't a dream - it was a memory. A memory of the morning... That my parents were killed.

The room is dark and chilly as I take in the situation I am in right now. I am still trapped in this room, kidnapped. There is blood all over me, and 95% of it isn't mine. And... I am alone. The sudden realization of me being alone sets in as I panic. 

_Levi... Where is Levi?_

I gasp. Maybe it's... His turn. They took him while I was asleep. How long has he been gone? How long was I asleep? I set my back against the wall and sigh. I wonder what kind of torture they are putting Levi through. Does a man like him even have a weakness that "A.T" can use against him? Even when we had our 20 questions talk, it still feels like there's so much I don't know about him. I want to know more about him.

I grip my shirt, right above my beating heart, wishing he comes back alive so I can get to know him even more.

_______________________________________________________

~ Levi's p.o.v.~

**********

This tall guy, with his mask of muscle, is way too fucking quite. I thought finding what what kind of sick torture is metal face of a friend was going to be horrible, but this silence he is putting me through is killing me. He leads me to a room with a black door outside of it. We stand in front of it, my stomach boiling.

I wonder if the kid... If Eren is awake now. Leaving him while he was asleep is leaving me with so much guilt that I want to claw this tall guy to pieces. His sleeping face is still stuck in my head; the feeling of his soft hair underneath the blood is trapped on my fingertips; those green eyes... I haven't felt the need to protect someone in a long time. I feel like I want to protect him. If that smiling face dies before me, I surely won't forgive myself this time...

The door opens on its own, and the tall guy points inside, telling me to enter the room. I stare him down, then take two steps into the room. He immediately slams the door behind me. I swear under my breath as the room is enveloped in total darkness and silence. Just what does this bastard have in store for me?

"Good evening, Rivaille," that bastard "A.T."...

"Tch, don't call me that, you shitty swine."

"That fowls mouth of your never seizes to amazing me," he chuckles. "I'm sorry I had to take you away from your babysitting, but it's your turn to play now."

"Babysitting, huh? And what do you suppose you're to make me do?"

"That's a good question. A very good question, indeed, Rivaille. You see... I know a thing or two about your past-," I clench my fists as he takes an unexpected pause, "so maybe I thought we could travel back in time for a few minutes. What do you say?"

"Go to hell."

"Very well. It's time."

The lights turn on to reveal cages... Cages full of people. They're naked, and very single one is spazzing out as if they all had rabies. As if they weren't human anymore. They all let out screams as they would slam their fists against the metal bars, biting them, tugging at them like they would eventually budge. My stomach drops a bit as I take a step back, "What the hell did you do to these people?"

"Nothing. Don't you trust me, Rivaille?"

"Stop fucking calling me that!" My voice cracks slightly, "Just tell me what I'm supposed to do!"

He chuckles again, "That's easy. Kill them."

"What? Did you eat shit for dinner or something?"

"I'm serious. Kill them before they try to kill you. It's as simple as that. But I must say, these people haven't had a decent meal for a long time and are really craving to sink their teeth into some delicious human flesh. I'm sure you don't have a problem killing them, Rivaille. I mean, you didn't have a problem killing people in the past..."

I grit my teeth, "I swear to fucking god, when I find you, I'm going to bash your face again a wall..."

"Is that a threat or a promise? You have no time limit, because these people can't be controlled no matter what I try to do. Good luck, my friend. Let the game begin."

An alarm sounds as the cage doors open, one by one. I quickly scan the room; no guns, no knives, no weapons of any kind. Except for my fists and my feet. Damn that sneaky bastard. The funny thing is, all of them aren't coming at me at once. They're waiting, as if they're taking turns.

The first to lash at me is a woman. She howls at me, showing off her pointy teeth as if she was a wolf. I swallow quickly, then throw a punch at her face. I can hear the bones in her face crack as she flies and hits the cage behind her and her body snaps in half. Her body falls to the floor like a rag doll and green liquid begins to drain from her body. Their blood is green? So is my face after seeing that, because now my stomach feels like it's shriveling up.

Next, a bigger male jumps at me from my right side. I react quickly, swinging my left leg around in front of me and kicking him in the neck. His neck cracks and breaks as he falls to the floor and hits it hard enough for his head to pop off, showing me a little something of the body that truly isn't pleasant.

Suddenly, they come at me now in groups of two. I'm able to punch one in the gut, then kick it in the face to send it flying back into a corner of a cage, causing the corner to pierce their boys, but the other sneaks up on me from behind. He jumps on my back and sinks its teeth into my shoulder. I wince in pain as I grab him by his arms and throwing him over my head, causing him to land on his and break his neck in half. He distracted me as two females come at me from both sides and scratch up both of my arms and legs. Another man manages to actually throw a good punch smack dab in the corner of my jaw. This pain definitely hurts a lot more than the bite, or the scratches up and down my sides. I stomp on one of the woman's head, smashing her face into the ground, while grabbing the other and throwing her at the man who landed the punch on me. Those two somehow get into it and begin to tear each other apart. The sound of their flesh ripping apart makes my eardrums go crazy.

They keep coming. I don't even know how many there are. All are so fragile that hearing their bones shatter beneath my knuckles and my feet suddenly doesn't phase me anymore. That doesn't meant hat the guilt isn't there. Killing people... My past... I've tried to run away from it. I wanted a fresh start to live the life I always wanted. I fell apart after college. My childhood days going into middle and high school were just leading me to break down. It took me way to long to wake up and smell the roses before I realized I wanted to start my life over. Erwin pulled strings to help me get back to school in order to work with him in the doctor's office he was currently training in. Hanji would take me to therapy classes with her as we found ways for me to control my bad habits. I think it was those classes that made me realize how much of a narcissist I was back in high school and college and how much of one I still am. Those two helped me to turn my life around. I don't want to go back.

The last dead boys hits the floor, and suddenly my adrenaline disappears. My body feels sore underneath every single scratch, bruise, and bite mark that those beasts managed to make. My breath is heavy and my grow heavy. I feel very tired. My hands hurts, I can't tell if I broke them or not. Feeling like a noodle, I tumble to the floor and lay in the heap of bodies in the room.

The door opens, and "A.T."s little helper appears before me. He pulls out a syringe and injects the needle into my arms while whispering, ""A.T." is impressed with you... But you're in a lot of pain. This should help bring it under control."

My body slowly feels light as a feather, but my body feel like bricks. My breathing slows down until it's at a normal pace, and my eyes shut, as I feel like I'm a peace.

_______________________________________________________

~ Eren's p.o.v. ~

**********

_Tap tap tap tap tap_

I can't stop tapping my fingernails on the tiled floor underneath me. I've been anxious since the second I woke up from my nap. Levi has been gone for quite a while now. I don't exactly how long it has been, but I'm worried. I know for a fact he is stubborn, so he wouldn't go down without a fight... But what if "A.T." got the better of him?

The very thought of him being dead and me being alone here makes my anxiety grow. I stand and begin to pace around the room, but I avoid the corner with the two dead bodies. My thoughts are on a roller coaster ride right now. I go back and forth between _what if Levi is dead?_ then to, _what should I say to him if he comes back alive?_ then back to the first question again.

 _Levi_ this, and _Levi_ that. My thought haven't been filled with someone this much since my parents were killed. I mean, I think about Mikasa and Armin a lot, and I thought about my ex a lot when we were together, but this feels different. I can't describe it just yet, because I do t know what this feeling is.

The door suddenly flies open, revealing "C.T." carrying Levi in the room, bridal style. A bright smile appears on my face, because if he's here, that means he's alive. "C.T." places Levi exactly where I was tiring a moment ago, then glances at me, "He's going to be a bit sore, but he'll wake up. Just watch over him carefully."

I nod, "I will. Hey, "C.T.", what happened to him?"

He frowns, "I can't tell you. I think it's best if he tells you himself. I'm sorry," he immediately turns around and leaves the room.

Levi is stubborn, so he probably isn't going to tell me what they did to him. For what I can see I. This dark room, he looks beat up. I can see why "C.T." told me to look after him. I place a hand on his head to discover that he is warm - burning actually. I look around the room to find a towel hanging above the sink in the room. I run up to it, turn the sink on, and run the towel under cold water. Cautiously, I walk up to Levi and place the towel on his head. He lets out a quiet grown as I sit down next to him.

A faint smile creeps on my face, "Levi... You're waking up."

"No shit," he says quietly. He tries to stand up, but I give his right wrist a slight tug, "Oh, no you don't. You're in pain. I'm not letting you get up. Now it's my turn to be a lap pillow. Lay down."

He doesn't say another word to me as I lay my legs flat on the floor and he places his head on my thighs. I adjust the towel on his head so that it is covering his forehead now. We stay there in silence for a moment. This silence is okay, though; I, enjoying the sound of breath - the sound of his existence.

"Hey, Levi," I pause, a bit hesitant, "What did they do to you?"

"That's none of your concern, brat," he mumbles. "And it's not what they did to me. I did something."

I raise an eyebrow, "You?"

"Yes, me. I'm the monster here."

"Don't say that, Levi! You're not a monster!"

He glares up at me, silver eyes piercing into mine, "You may know some things about me, kid, but you don't know about _me._ About my past... What I did... And what I regret..."

Regret suddenly fills his eyes as they glance away from me. Guilt begins to swell up in mine. I take a hand and touch his hair; it's soft. I grin and run my fingers through it, enjoying it's softness, and the fact that even Levi can regret his actions. He seems strong like a rock that the thought of him being a secret softie doesn't occurs to you.

"You don't have to tell me now, Levi. But can you tell me soon? When you do, I can tell you about mine. I'm sorry... I just want to know about you. I want to worry about you. I want to care about you."

I feel my face grow warm. Curse me and my word vomit. I glance down at Levi, and I'm surprised. I can't tell if it's because he's burning up or not, but I can see his cheeks turn a slight rosy pink, "Sh-Shut up, you cheeky brat. You don't know what you're talking about."

_Is he... Embarrassed?_

I smile, knowing he really does have a soft side, "You can go back to sleep if you want. I'm sorry to disturb you earlier. But you can sleep if you want. I'll be here, so I'll watch over you, and protect you, and-"

"Eren, did you know you can talk way too damn much sometimes?"

Blushing, I chuckle, "I-I guess..."

The ends of Levi's lips curve to a slight grin as he brushed his hand with the hand that isn't in his hair, "You think you can protect me? I thought I was the one who was going to protect you."

I stay silent, my face growing redder by the second.

"But whatever floats your boat, kid. I'm going to sleep for a bit, and I think you should, too."

He closes his eyes and soon enough, he falls asleep. His sleeping face is very calm. He almost seems too calm for someone who obviously went through so much pain. We both had to endure something difficult today. I don't feel that tired, but I guess sleep is something. I am going to need if I am going to survive whatever game they throw at me tomorrow. I take a deep breath, trying to remove the thought from my mind.

I glance down at Levi one last time, taking the hand he slightly brushed against me in my hand, locking our fingers together, and slowly close my eyes.

_Maybe... We can protect each other._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little bit of chapter ending fluff ~ :3
> 
> God, I love these two so much... Way too much x3
> 
> Thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter!
> 
> Look out for the next one :)


	5. Praise the French

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> No games - just a pure Riren/Ereri moment :3  
> 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> God, my wifi has been some f***ed up lately. I wanted to add this chapter yesterday morning when I got off of work, but nope.  
> I can't even go on my Instagram, Facebook, tumblr, or twitter w/o my wifi freaking out on me ._.
> 
> I did want to write one chapter where our two lovelies didn't have to worry about being killed, so I decided it would be this one. Maybe I'll make another, but that depends on where the story goes from here :P
> 
> This chapter was a lot longer than expected, so... Enjoy :)

~ Levi's p.o.v. ~

**********

_**To be honest, I never saw myself here, doing this whole "college" thing. In the beginning, I never even saw myself graduating high school. Half the time, I would get into fights, cause trouble, or just not go to school at all. I fooled 95% of the students and faculty at my middle and high schools; when I actually went to school, my grades were in the top 10% of my graduating class. Just because I came off as a delinquent, doesn't mean I was an idiot.**_

**_My freshman year of high school was also when I met Erwin and Hanji. Erwin and I shared World History together, while Hanji and I shared Biology. That four eyes was the first to befriend me, because we were lab partners. She was a science junkie, having the highest grade in the class. In the beginning, I used that to my advantage, as she said she would help me catch up whenever I didn't show up to school. She understood my bad boy ways, yet never once decided to treat me badly._ **

**_Then there was Erwin. World History was the last class of the day. The two of us sat next to each other in class. World History was my weakest subject in school, though I would always manage to hide it. Erwin somehow saw the struggle I had and always said that he would tutor me if I was ever interested. Of course I shrugged him off right away. I didn't need friends like him, or friends like Hanji. I didn't need friends at all..._**

**_Until one day - I made huge mistake and was getting my ass handed to me behind our school. I deserved it. Life isn't a fucking fairy tale with happy endings. Suddenly, it was like I had a knight in shining armor; make that two. Erwin and Hanji managed to somehow make them scram and run away, helping a poor excuse for a human being like me. Having them as friends won't be so bad after all, I thought._**

**_I began to go to school daily after that, and hung around Erwin and Hanji like glue. People still saw me for my delinquent ways, but that didn't bother them at all. We were inseparable. They introduced me to new people throughout our high school years; Mike, Erd, Auruo, Gunther, and Petra. Petra and I actually dated our senior year of high school. It was my first serious relationship. Hell, I've been with women up til then, but those weren't really "relationships" in my book. She was the first woman, besides Hanji, that I could truly be myself around._**

**_Graduation came around. It went. I proved to everyone I could turn my life around. Petra and I were taking about going to college together- she wanted to study sport therapy, while I was still undecided. Erwin and Hanji were actually planning on the same college as us. For the first time in awhile, I felt happy. Maybe fairy tales were real after all._**

**_That is... Until one week before we started college. Petra got into a car accident and died the second they got her into the hospital. My heart dropped. All of my emotions were gone. Fairy tales don't exist. Never have, never will. I slowly found myself creeping back to the life I crawled myself out of, only to make it ten times worse. That's when my fling with Erwin started. He tried to pull me back out, offering me anything to get out of there. Of course, being the dumbass I can be sometimes, I told him to offer himself up to me, and help me in college. He didn't hesitate._**

**_He helped me earn every single title possible in order to become a doctor. I studied my ass off in order to stay away from the darkness. Erwin did too, giving me the pleasure my body wanted to distract myself. I loved him, but not like that. He was like a brother to me, and Hanji was like my wacky ass sister. Once I obtained a job as a doctor, Erwin and I broke off whatever we had. As time rolled on, Erwin became the head doctor in that office, and I was second in line._**

**_No fairy tale ending yet... I still don't feel satisfied with myself..._**

My stomach acts and my head is throbbing. I haven't dreamt about my past in a long ass time, so why now? I let out a breath and slowly open my eyes. _My head is raising and falling... Why?_

I carefully shift my head to find myself laying my head on a brunette's chest, curled up next to him, one of our hands locked together. Eren Jaeger. Just who exactly was this young brat, and why am I snuggled up to him like this? This kid truly is a peace of work. He sounds like he can have a temper, but gets easily embarrassed over so simple as an ass grab. Something about his past also makes him have panic attacks, though I've only seen him have one so far. On top of that, the kid is a looker. Tall, dark and... Adorable? And those round, green eyes have me imagining myself surrounded by tall trees in the middle of a breath taking wilderness.

I can't believe I let myself get all comfortable and vulnerable next to this brat.

I cautiously lift my head off of his chest and sit up next to him; the boy is shivering. Now that I think about it, it is a bit cold in here. The temperature in this room must got through metopause, because one minute it's freezing in here, the next I'm sweating my balls off. The room isn't as dark as it normally is, so I gaze around the room, hoping to find something to warm this kid up. I happen to find a blanket on a shelf next to a sink. I quietly stand up and reach up (on my tip toes) and grab the blanket from the shelf. I walk over back to Eren and carefully wrap the blanket around him. 

He calms down fairly quickly. I sigh and lay back up against the wall. I could go back to sleep, but after realizing I was snuggled up next to some man I barely know, I don't think so. 

_______________________________________________________

~ Eren's p.o.v ~

**********

This is new. My face feels really cold, but my body is warm. My back is killing me though, like I just slept on a bed of nails. I open my eyes and yawn, wanting to so desperately stretch and crack my back.

"Good morning, sleeping beauty."

I gaze over to my a Levi to faintly see Levi awake, laying back against the wall. I remember him falling asleep on my legs, and somehow I shifted my body to where he was cuddled up next to me, head on my chest. I thought it was just a dream, but when I gaze down to see myself trapped with a blanket wrapped around me, I'm starting to think it was a dream.

"Good morning," I yawn, "or whatever time it is."

"Like we'll ever know," he sighs. "Not too long ago, someone slipped a note through the crack of the door saying there will be no game today for the time being, so us prisoners can get some R&R."

I huff, sitting up with the blanket still wrapped around me, "Prisoners, huh?"

Levi groans in response. I drop my gaze to the blanket, "So, where did this come from?"

"I found it on that shelf over there," he points above the sink. "Your shivering was getting annoying, so I got up and got it for you."

My feel my face grow warm, _so I wasn't imagining things earlier..._ I grip the blanket, "Th-Thank you."

"Yep." We fall silent. And this silence is very uncomfortable and awkward, which I really don't do well with. Not since my parents died. If I was before that, I wouldn't give a shit if I was with someone or a group who didn't talk.

I glance over at Levi, his arms crossed over his chest and his eyes closed. Levi, being the mysterious and intimidating person he seems to be, you become prone to wonder what he's thinking when he's silent like this. Is he feeling uncomfortable with this silence like I am? I hate being the person to break the silence and say something, because 95% of the time! the person finds you annoying if you break it. Levi will just think I'm even more annoying than I already am to him.

In times like this, I would usually sing lyrics to my favorite songs in my head. The lyrics would jump back and forth between different songs, usually not the same song twice. But for some odd reason, I just have one song stuck in my head .I clench my hands together and close my eyes;

_If I had to, I would put myself right beside you. So let me ask, would you like that? Would you like that? And I don't mind, if you say this love is the last time. So now I'll ask, do you like that? Do you like that? Something's getting in the way; Something's just about to break. I will try to find my place in diary of Jane. As I burn another page; As I look the other way; I still try to find my place in the diary of Jane, so tell me how it should be..._

I know I jump around the song a bit, but I don't realize until I open my eyes to find Levi staring me down that I was humming the song out loud. I turn bright red and try to hide my face with the blanket.

"You listen to Breaking Benjamin?"

The question was a little heavy, but wasn't random. I pull my face out of the blanket; Levi's gaze is now at his feet in front of him. I nod, though he can't see me, so I add, "Mhm."

"That's a good song," he adds. "The piano version is beautiful, but the original is amazing."

I smile, "I was actually thinking of the piano version just now. Breaking Benjamin, along with Three Days Grace, was my first concert."

"I'm fucking jealous, kid."

I smile is even brighter. Another random conversation with Levi. Suddenly, I recall yesterday, and what I told Levi before we fell asleep. As soon as my smile arrives, it drops to a small frown. I unwrap myself from the blanket and hug my knees to my chest, "Hey, Levi..."

"Hey, Eren," he mocked me.

"So... About yesterday... I want to tell you about my past."

He looks up at me, an eyebrow raising up, "'s that so?"

I nod. I tell everything; about how Armin, Mikasa, and I left my house to run to the tore because we were running out of butter. We were almost home when Armin's grandfather called him because he forgot how to turn off the oven and was afraid of his house burning into flames if Armin didn't come home to turn it off for him. Armin's grandpa has a short attention span and is easily forgetful with many things, except for when it came to Armin. 

Mikasa and I walked up to my house to see that the front door was unlocked. The two of us didn't think anything of it. We walked into the kitchen, I handed my mother the butter while Mikasa and father began to set the table. Suddenly, a man came up behind my father and knocked him out with a long pipe. Another came up to my mother and forced her to the ground next to my father. Mikasa and I were tied up to the kitchen chairs and watched as the two men beat my father and raped my mother, then shot both of them.

Neighbors heard the screams coming from mother, and the pleas Mikasa and I tried to make and called the cops. But the cops were just seconds too late; my parents died, and the jerks escaped, leaving before they could do anything to Mikasa and I. The two of us had to go through 2 weeks of therapy because the images kept pouring out in front of us. Mikasa eventually calmed down, but not me. This is where my anxiety attacks come from, and when my anger issues took off and got worse than before. They did eventually catch the two bag of asswipes, but that still hasn't eased the pain I've been going through.

"God... Dammit. I'm so sorry, kid," Levi scoots closer to me and places a hand on my shoulder. "I mean it."

I'm barely holding my tears in, "It's okay. It's... Okay."

Levi grips my shoulder, "Tch, guess I gotta tell you my sob story now, huh."

I loosen the hug around my knees and Levi slouches a bit, "Well, as you know, I used to go by Rivaille. That's my birth name. My parents were both very people - my mother being a famous fashion designer, while my father was a business man/lawyer. Both were rarely home, and whenever they were they were cold and distant. I was always left with the maids babysitting me. Not that they were bad company or anything, it's just... You know.

"Suddenly, my mother came down with a life threatening illness that no one saw coming and was forced to become bed ridden. I saw this as an opportunity to take care of my mom and comfort her, and that's what I did. It took me 7 years to get close to my mother, but I was finally happy. I would play the piano for her, tell her stories from my books, attempt to cook for her, though the maids do most of the work, and just spent time with her.

"Until she suddenly passed one day. My father broke down. He became unorganized, and lost his light as one of the greatest lawyers around. His depression hung over him, which meant it hung over me. I would find any excuse to not go home after school, telling my teacher I want to study until the school closed, then I would hang around parks. That's when I started getting involved in fights, because creeps hung around parks at night.

"In middle school, I had it bad. I began to hang around with the wrong crowd, skip school, do drugs - you name it. Everyone knew me for my slacker attitude, but my grades never showed I was a slacker. I was known around as a thug... A delinquent. Hell, I almost beat a guy half to death."

My heart skips a beat at that word, but I continue to listen to him.

"I somehow go on to high school, and the term _delinquent_ follows me there, too. I didn't have any friends. I didn't consider the people I rolled with outside of school friends at all. But then... I met Erwin... and Hanji... And Petra..."

 _Petra?_ He didn't mention a "Petra" yesterday. I take a deep breath, "Who was Petra?"

He gives a light grin, but it looks like he's in pain, "Petra was a the first person I was in a serious relationship with. Sure, I had girls I filled around with before, but Petra was special. We were seriously talking about having a future together, but..."

Even though his words were hitting my chest like darts on a dart board, his sudden stop catches me off guard, "But... What?"

He licks his lips, "She died in a car crash right before we entered college."

"Oh... I-I... I'm so sorry."

He shrugs, "Not your fault, kid. I started slowly falling back to my bad boy ways, and I didn't like it one bit, but I couldn't help it. That's where my relationship with Erwin comes into play. He pulled me out of my horrible ways once again, and told me he would help me become whatever I wanted. Deep down, ever since my mother was sick, I had always wanted to be a doctor, so deaths like hers can be prevented. And... Now I'm a doctor, and now I'm trapped in here with some college brat named Eren Jaeger."

"H-Heyyy, and here I was starting feel sorry for you, jerk."

All he does is give me a smirk. That smirk is better than seeing his face full of sorrow like it was just a moment ago.

"Now what about you, brat? You said you were in a relationship before, right?"

The sudden question hits me like a punch and I chuckle, "Yeah... About that..."

"Don't tell me you were fucking lying and you're one of those pure ass kids..."

"N-No, I'm not lying. I have been in one relationship before, I just haven't talked about it in a while..."

His straightens his posture, "Well, I'm waiting. Go on with it."

I swallow lightly, scratching the back of my neck, "Well, it was my 2nd year of high school and her name was Annie. We've known each other since middle school, but didn't talk too much back them. When we got into high school, we had almost every single class together our first year, as well as our second year. She didn't talk to many people, except for me and my group of friends, because a lot of people found her hard to approach. She seems very... Intimidating at first, but when you get to know her, she loosens up a bit. We found each other always studying together after school and... It just happened."

"Happened?"

"Yeah, but after we became official, it was nothing even changed. We hung out like normal, studied like normal. We didn't do anything couples would do. So, after a few months, right before the end of our 2nd year, we both decided to call it quits."

"Hm... And here I was expecting a sob story about how she dumped you because you're a noob and didn't satisfy her _needs_ enough, but boy was I wrong. You really are a softie."

I brush hard, clenching my fists in embarrassment, "Sh-Shut up! I tried in the relationship!"

All he does is laugh at me. Laugh... Levi's laugh. It's not small, but it's not obnoxious either. It's a laugh that totally calms you down and makes you forget about everything else around you; a beautiful laugh.

"Ha ha," I turn away from him, my face still burning, "Laugh all you want, asshole."

"I will, and I shall whenever I feel like it," he crosses his arms and grins, as if he's telling me _you're one fucking hilarious character, Eren Jaeger._

I want to drop the subject of love life so badly. This embarrassment is killing me, my heart, and my face. 

"Hey, Levi, can you say more things in French?

His eyebrows scrunch together, "Why exactly?"

"I... I don't know. I think it sounds cool when you speak it."

"Or rather, I sound sexy when I do...?"

 _God Dammit, Levi._ I wasn't going to deny it - when he spoke that one sentence to me yesterday, he sounded drop dead gorgeous, but there is no way in hell I am going to admit that out loud to him. Absolutely NO WAY.

"Just say something," I try to brush off his comment.

He grins, "Ne pas être dans le déni, il est écrit sur votre visage."

My body stiffens up; the way those words rolled off his tongue, I'm sure my heart just stopped from beating so fast. Praise the French and their way with words.

"Again."

"Je vous maudis d'être si sacrément mignon, je ne peux pas m'en empêcher.," he moves closer to me, our shoulders touching and his breath hits my face; it's warm, adding tot he warmth already on my face.

A chill runs down my spine, "Something else."

He places a hand under my chin, pulling my face close to him and whispers in my ear, "Vous avez de la chance je peux me contrôler. Sinon, je vous avez tout à moi ici et maintenant."

That last sentence is the death of me, though I didn't understand anything that he just said to me. I hesitate, but scoot myself away from him, trying to hide my embarrassment as much as I can.

He starts slowly crawling towards me, grey eyes looked on mine, as if I'm being seduced, "Vous ne pouvez pas exécuter de moi, gamin. Je vais toujours vous rattraper."

"Okay, okay, I give, you sound fucking sexy, now stop it!"

He chuckles, giving me goosebumps, "J'ai gagné ce jeu."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love French accents, and picturing Levi with one just totally turns me into a Eren in this fic and I melt x3
> 
> Translations;  
> "Ne pas être dans le déni, il est écrit sur votre visage"  
> \- "Do not be in denial, it is written in your face."  
> "je vous maudis d'être si sacrément mignon, je ne peux pas m'en empêcher."  
> \- "I curse you for being so damn cute, I can't help myself."  
> "Vous avez de la chance je peux me contrôler. Sinon, je vous avez tout à moi ici et maintenant."  
> \- "You're lucky I can control myself. Otherwise, I would have you all to myself right here and now."  
> "Vous ne pouvez pas exécuter de moi, gamin. Je vais toujours vous rattraper."  
> \- "You cannot run from me, kid. I will always catch you."  
> "J'ai gagné ce jeu."  
> \- "I won this game."
> 
> *im sorry if my French sucks. Blame google translate, too!*
> 
> Mayyyybe there was some kind of game, just not what you expected xD
> 
> The song that was mentioned is "The Diary of Jane" by Breaking Benjamin, in case you didn't know that already. But you must look up the piano/acoustic version of the song, it is b-e-a-utiful :)
> 
> I forgot what else I wanted to write for this chapter, but I'm leaving it where it's not right now, because I'm mostly satisfied with it.
> 
> Expect a side "A.T." And "C.T." chapter soon, if not this next one, than the following one.
> 
> Thank you for all of the support :D


	6. Side Story - Why I Can't Run Away (pt 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I've had the opportunity to leave this life, to start a new and settle down... But I can't do it without him."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, here you go! The "A.T." and "C.T." chapter I promised!
> 
> Will I reveal their identities in this chapter? Who knows... 
> 
> Because there is so much to this story I want to write, I'm afraid if I tell you who they are now, I will feel weird.
> 
> That is... If you haven't figured out who they are already ;)  
> (You probably have... Curse me and my horrible writing skills.)
> 
> Enjoy~!

~ "C.T."s p.o.v. ~

**********

When I was younger, I would constantly take walks around the park down the block from my house. I would love to feel the city air hit my face and smell the nose cringing scent of gasoline. I would love to hear the wind as it ruffled through the trees, the laughter of children as they ran around playing tag, and even the barking of dogs as they played fetch with their owners. The park was always the place is go to if I wanted to empty my mind.

I'd walk along every single trail, hands in my pockets and stare at my feet. I'd occasionally look up to greet a fellow citizen "hello" as they jogged or rode their bike past me. I'd think about what kind of lives they have now and if I'd ever have some kind of successful life, too. "If" being the key word.

Sometimes I wish I could go back to that time, where my worries were slim to none, where my smiles were never forced, where the world didn't seem as cruel.... Where the person the loved wasn't a monster.

"You're such a daydreamer, huh?"

I snap back to reality, with "A.T." standing over me; he has a scowl glued upon his face, but his eyes are full of wonder. 

I can't recall when he asked me to start calling me that, or where he got "C.T." from and started calling me that. We've known each other since we were practically in diapers, with our parents being best friends and work partners. They traveled a lot, taking the two of us with them most of the time. We became best friends; not wanting to be around anyone else but each other. 

Besides... Who wants to hang around someone who has a man crush on their best friend?

Honestly, I don't know where that began. Maybe it was because we were around each other all that time that I suddenly became less interested in how others looked to me when it came to liking someone. Maybe it was because we were protective of each other. Maybe I thought his protectiveness over me could have been because of something other than friendship. I could never tell. Maybe it was because I could confide in him and talk to him about everything... Except about my crush.

I would go to ask for his advice about my crush, saying it was on some chick that was in a class we shared together. He would give me any kind of advice possible, and tell me to never give up. The smile he always had killed me on the inside, because I wanted that smile to be mine. I wanted to belong to that smile, and nothing else.

When I eventually mustered up the courage I needed to come out of the closet and tell him that I love him, he told me he loved me, too. At first, it seemed like he meant it as only he loved me like a brother, because of how long we've known he each other and how close we were, but we ended up going out as a couple... He kissed me... And suddenly everything felt like it fell into place.

We would take walks around the city together, walks around the park, go out for breakfast and lunch and dinner, and even sometimes just for a cup of coffee and a quick talk. Nothing seemed out of place. Even when the time came that I asked him to take away my virginity, everything still seemed like it was perfect. I wanted my first love to be my last and only love, and still be my best friend.

But then... The storm clouds roll in.

One day, after my first class at my first day of college, I got jumped and beaten up by a groups of kids who went to school with us. They punched me, kicked me, cut my hair, raped me, and took pictures of me, chuckling to each other that "gays should just go burn in hell." "A.T." found me laying there, motionless, calling out his name. I've never seen such anger in his eyes; those beautiful blue eyes that were always sweet. He cursed, "if gays should go to hell, I'll chop your off for shoving your in my boyfriend." And ever since... He's... Changed.

And thus began his reign as "A.T.". 

It took me a whole year to find out he was doing this. Kidnapping people and torturing them into playing his little games. I found out it started with the group of guys that beat me up... He killed them. Every single one. When he tried to explain himself, he said he was only doing it to protect me, but I felt so scared being near him, hearing him say that to me. I looked into his eyes, and the anger was still there. It never left.

I tried to help him get away from all of this, but instead, I only became his partner in crime. The guilt slowly took over my body, the numbness spread like a disease. I was trapped.

I don't come up with the challenges; I'm just his little "helper buddy."

"A.T." glances down at me, "I need to run into the city today, so there will be no games today," he hands me a piece of paper and a pen. "Write a letter to our two caged birds that they can rest easily for today. I'm getting hungry, too, and I could really use some lunch."

All I do is nod and write as he requested. I walk up to the door where we keep the prisoners, note in hand, and slipped in under the door. These two prisoners - there's something about the two of them that has caught my interest.

Eren Jaeger; he's in college, not too much younger than me, and is definitely a character. When "A.T." told me to go after him and bring him here, I knew he looked familiar somehow - he goes to the same college as us. I first tried to convince him that we can't take Eren, but "A.T." said he had his reasons why Eren was our next target. I heard about his parents dying when he was younger, and thought the kid has gone through some serious mental issues, and boy was I right. We looked up his medical history. I suddenly felt bad for smacking him outside the head with a pipe.

And then Levi; this geezer is a piece of work. He's quite a few years older than us, but has the face of a 21 year old. He's a doctor that works in the main, upscale hospital in town, and apparently is own of the best. He's every hard to approach though, as my first plan on capturing him by going straight up to him was a complete failure. The man has a interesting history, as his criminal record files were wiped clean. As we dug deeper though, we found out just how serious his criminal history was.

But when I came both time to take each one of them away, I could already tell how close the two of them were getting, and I started feeling sorry for them...

I quietly follow "A.T." out the door and into the city. Being that it is lunchtime, the hustle and bustle of the city was just as busy as ever. Businessmen in suits, casual city folk, random weirdos; the streets and sidewalks are filled with them going in all directions. I try to keep up with "A.T." as he is walking faster than he normal would. I don't do well in big crowds such as these ever since the incident. I feel my mouth grow dry, wanting to call out his name.

"Hey," a hand grabs mine and pulls me put of the crowd, "A.T.", "Be careful there are too many people out today. We can't get separated."

I stare into his eyes - the eyes that are filled with anger, are also filled with concern and worry. I grin slightly and grip his hand tighter, a bit relieved knowing he can still show other emotions in his eyes.

We stop at the nearest pizza place and order two large pizza to be picked up on an hour. After that, we begin to do the errands "A.T." wanted to do. That similar city air hits my face and suddenly, I feel calm. It has been awhile since the two of us have gone into the city together. We walk along every sidewalk, passing every building... What errands was he talking about exactly?

"Uh, where are we-"

He cuts me off by gripping my hand and pointing across the street. It's the park I would always go to. I stare at it in awe.

"You seemed very tense lately. And I remember you saying you used to come here a lot to calm down. So, I figured we could take a break and just walk around until the pizza is done."

I turn back to him, and he kisses me gently on the lips. It's a short, sweet, and simple kiss, but it means so much more to me than anyone could ever imagine. I smile, gripping his hands tighter, locking my fingers between his.

We walk along every walkway, every path, side by side. We would either joke about our past, or just walk in silence. The silence was okay, I don't mind it at all. It wasn't an awkward silence; it was a loving silence. For the first time in awhile, I was at peace. If only the scientist were ahead of schedule on a way to freeze time. I would stay here like this with him forever.

The alarm on his cell phone goes off before we knew it, signaling the pizzas are ready to be picked up. We walk back to the pizza place and pick up our pizzas. I want to tell him so badly that we have to do this more often, but since I, following hi from behind now, and I know exactly where he's going, I keep my mouth shut. That building... Sometimes I wished an arsonist would randomly pick that building to be their target, as long as nobody gets hurt.

We enter the building and begin to eat our pizza. I look at the clock hanging from the wall, to see we were gone four a good four hours. It didn't seem like it was that long, but those four hours were totally worth it. After about three slices of pizza, "A.T." hands me a plate with four pieces of pizza on it, "Those two must be starving in there. I'll be generous and offer up some of my pizza. Can you go hand it to them?"

I nod and mumble, "You can have some of mine if you want."

"Thank you," and I take the plate of pizza from his hands. I walk up to the door and stand in front of it for a little bit; it's very quite. Almost too quiet. I carefully open the door and peek inside.

The two "prisoners", Eren and Levi, are asleep. Levi is laying on a blanket we left in the room while Eren is snuggled up to him with his head on Levi's chest. I smile at the sight. I walk quietly into the room and set the pizza next to their sleeping bodies. As I begin to walk out of the room, I turn to look back at them, studying their breathing. You can tell just by looking at them that they are growing attached to each other, and that's what I feared. "A.T." didn't realize it, but the two are more similar than any of the past people that have been in here.

Some of the groups of two that have been in here have grown close, too close in fact, to where they become friends, and even fall for one another. You do have the cases where the two just hate each other's guts so badly that it's kind of amusing. "A.T." though that's how these two were going to be; I begged to differ. I sigh and close the door behind me, knowing that one of these two, or neither, may not make it out alive.

This is horrible; this is truly horrible. I had the opportunity to run away from all of this. "A.T." didn't force me to do this with him; this was all on my part. I didn't have to watch as people died before me. I didn't have to watch them grow close, and break down before me.

I walk back into the room, fists clenched, heart racing. "A.T." looks up at me, and smiles. Suddenly, I realize why I'm here. Of course.

I've had the opportunity to leave this life, to start a new and settle down... But I can't do it without him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a side chapter, so it is a little short and less detailed...
> 
> But my heart was slowing breaking as a wrote this ;-;
> 
> The next chapter will be quite interesting...
> 
> Interesting ;)
> 
> Thank you for all of your support!


	7. Under My Skin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren recalls how he met his friends; pizza; some cuddly fluff; round 2.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry it took me a while to update this story.  
> I just got done getting sick aaaannnndddd now I'm sick again ._.
> 
> Well, now I have an excuse to sit and bed and update regularly again like I promised.
> 
> I hope you all enjoy this chapter, I broke it into two different chapters because... I can, and I did *mischievous laugh* xD
> 
> Let me know if you find any kind of mistake. Don't be shy... This isn't beta'd at all, so anything helps me :)
> 
> Okay, you wanna read, and not listen to me babble... Enjoy~!
> 
> P.s... Thank you for all of the kudos and comments... You guys totally rock! (^.^)b

~ Eren's p.o.v. ~

**********

This warm, fuzzy feeling I feel... It's similar to cuddling your new kitten or puppy for the first time; it's similar to the feeling to success, like you aced that test or exam you were studying your ass off for, or ran a marathon under your goal time without crossing over to the dead; it's similar to friendship, knowing you can laugh your heart out with them, and smile, and trust them with your life.

Friendship...

I recalled how I met all of my friends as I drifted into a dream filled with memories...

_**I met Mikasa and Armin in kindergarten - back to the beginning. Mikasa was a very unapproachable, but very cute little girl who seemed to understand everything with the first week of kindergarten. The others saw her as a freak for been to knowledgable for someone so young, so she hardly made friends at first. Me, being the kindhearted kind I was (no cockiness, I swear) I greeted her with open arms as my friend. I learned she is very smart, sometimes very quiet, but also very protective.**_

_**Armin showed a week late. Family issues, according to Armin, himself. Of course, a week into school, you usually have made your little group of friends, so poor Armin was alone. One day during recess, Mikasa and I heard a couple of boys picking on a Armin for looking like a girl and having hair that was probably girl hair. Armin kept trying to stand up for himself, but the poor little boy was scared out of his wits. Cue Mikasa and I and both of protectiveness. The group of boys got in trouble and has to be on time outs for a week. Mikasa and I got warnings, only because we protected a friend. Friend... Armin's as now apart of our duo, er... Trio.** _

_**The three of us went all through elementary school together until the fifth grade, when we met two new friends of our little posy. Jean Kirschtein; one hot headed, cocky bastard. And Marco Bodt, a freckled, sweet and innocent kid. They were new to our school, and apparently knew each other since kindergarten as well. Whenever Jean got into a conflict, no matter how stupid it was, Marco was always there to put him in check in the nicest way possible. It was like Jean was Marco's pet dog.** _

_**Jean and I never really got along on a friendly basis, but when it came to sports and video games, somehow I found myself glued to him. Marco got along right away. If I couldn't go to Armin to vent about frustration of being a boy about to go through puberty, I'd go to Marco. Towards the end of the fifth grade... Was when my parents were murdered.** _

_**I didn't show up for school for two, almost three weeks. When I finally returned to school, our class held a little shindig to cheer me up and welcome me back to school. Mikasa, Armin, Marco, and Jean planned it. Yes, I know, Jean helped to cheer me up. Shocking, right? He's not a bad guy if Marco is his bed friend.** _

_**We graduated, and off the middle school we go. That's when we met Krista, Ymir, and Annie. Krista; one word to describe her is she's an angel. The two of met in our science class - she was my lab partner. She would make sure that I understood everything and asked questions so that I wouldn't get lost. If it weren't for her, I probably would have failed science that year. After science class, is when I met Ymir. Her and Krista were "attached to the hip" best friends. At first glance, their friendship seemed... Weird. Krista was barely 5', and Ymir was a good few inches taller than me. Ymir was cool, calm and collected, though was quick to make comments about much taller she was than me.** _

_**Annie came around our second year of middle school. She was in my Algebra class, as well as my gym class. In math, she was quiet, almost too quiet, but was ridiculously smart. I sat behind her in the class and would occasionally sneak peaks at her test scores and she would always get "100%"s. In gym though, was when her true colors shined; she was a born athlete. Along side Mikasa, the two of them surpassed half of the boys in the class. The two of them became quick friends, but the two of us could barely keep a conversation going.**_

_**High school, and all it's "raging hormones and useless drama" glory. My group of friends were divided, as we had fewer classes together than middle school. That meant, making new friends yet again. At our school, our homeroom divided the students up by last name. In my class, I was alone. If I really felt like talking to anyone, I could go to the classroom next door and talk to Jean, but that wasn't likely to happen. Every day, even the first day of our freshmen year, this short, obnoxious boy would come into the homeroom and talk to the teacher, because apparently she was a teacher he had in elementary school. Connie Springer was his name. Our first day, he told her what he did over the summer and heard the words "went to the Breaking Benjamin concert" leave his mouth. Connie and I suddenly became buddies.** _

_**It turned out Connie and I had almost every class together our freshmen year, except for homeroom and World History. If I couldn't talk to Mikasa, Armin, etc, is talk to Connie. That's when I met Sasha; through Connie. If you ever asked yourself what a girl version of Connie would look like, it was be Sasha. Not that they looked the same; it's just they both had that hyperactive personality that would cheer you up and just down right annoy you at the same time. And another thing about Sasha - she could eat more than the entire freshmen football time combined. What was even scarier, was she was thin as a twig, too. As far as food went, Sasha and I got along fairly well.**_

_**I played through my head the rest of high school; Jean would occasionally hit on Mikasa, Armin was on the road to becomi Validictorian, Connie and Sasha became a "thing" (no surprise there), Ymir and Krista became a "thing" (okay, a bit of a surprise), Marco was named class president with Mikasa being v.p and Sasha being treasurer (we were surprised she didn't spend our class money on food), and of course, Annie and I got together and then broke up. Nothing really too exciting, except for the occasion argument between Jean and I. I became known at one point as "loose screwed moron for picking fights with the captain of the Varsity football team." That didn't stop me at all.** _

_**As we all went on to college, I realized how distant some of us became. All of the girls, excluding Mikasa, went on to different colleges than the rest of us. I will still talk to Sash every now and then though, only because I room with Connie and the rest of the boys. Even with them as my roommates, things just feel... Different.**_

I woke up then. That warm, fuzzy feeling never left though. I couldn't quite put my finger one why I felt so calm when I just sort of brought myself down thinking about my friends and how some of us don't really talk anymore. That's when it hit me; my head was rising and falling while laying on a chest.

Levi. This man who I just met probably 2-3 days ago... who has already gotten under my skin. I quickly, but quietly raised my head off of his chest and crawled away from his sleeping body. As I leaned my back against the wall, I finally got a chance to get a good look at this man. 

From how he was laying, you could definitely tell he was short. Though I haven't stood up next to him yet, I could tell I would tower over him by a few inches. Under his blood stained clothes, sat hard, toned muscles that could easily break someone's neck if they really had to. His face, though it has a few minor bruises, is beautiful. Perfect jawline, perfect nose, perfect jet black hair, perfect eyes that look grey but if you glance at them hard enough you see tints of sparkling blue. His personality may seem more sour than a lemon, but he has his moments where the sourness seems invisible and unnoticed. 

I glanced down at his hands; one down at his side, the other up by his head. His fingers are short and skinny, but those hands when they're clutched into fists could be deadly weapons. I imagined those fingers running through my hair, calming me down as he whispers French into my ear... My face grew warm and I mentally slapped myself about ten times. God, his voice, and when he spoke French to me... I felt my insides melting away like a Popsicle left outside on a hot summer day.

A sudden smell hits my nose. It smelt warm, and fresh... I glanced around the room to find a plate full of pizza sitting in the middle of the room with a small note attached to it. Feeling a bit suspicious, I stood up and walked over to the plate, squatting down in front of the slices of pepperoni pizza. I grabbed the note and read it to myself:

_Eren... Levi..._

_Please accept this food. We know you're pretty hungry. You both haven't eaten in awhile. Enjoy. No games today._

_"C.T."_

I sighed. This "C.T." guy seemed way too nice to be giving us pizza, but when I stomach growled at the sight of the cheese, and the pizza sauce... Fuck that, I was hungry.

I walked back over to Levi, plate of pizza in hand and sat back down against the wall. It ook a piece in my hand, setting the plate down next to me, and took the biggest bite of pizza I probably ever had in my life. My taste buds were dancing with happiness, as if they were thanking me for bringing them this piece of heaven. There were 4 pieces of pizza; two for me, and two for Levi. Deep down, I was hoping Levi hated pizza, or was secretly a vegetarian, because my stomach could have probably devoured two whole pizzas right then and there.

As I finished my first piece, I heard Levi stirring and woke up, murmuring a curse word to himself about how much his back hurt. I mumbled to myself, "old man," then shoved the next piece of pizza into my mouth.

He glared at me, "Where the fuck did you get pizza, brat?"

"Oh, "C.T." left some for us," I answered, trying not to spit pizza out of my mouth.

"Gross." I knew he meant me talking with my mouth full.

I held out the plate for him, "These are for you," and I tried to smile without showing him the food in my mouth.

He eyeballed the plate, then back up at me, "I don't need it. You can have it."

As happy as I was that he said that, I still couldn't help but worry a bit, "Levi, are you sure? You haven't eaten in a while, so -"

"Just take the pizza before I change my mind."

I didn't hesitate. I placed the plate next to me, and grabbed one of the two pieces left for Levi. I knew I could be greedy sometimes. I stared down the piece of pizza and began to take the pepperoni off of it. I set it down on the plate and began to do the same with the other piece. Once I finished, I placed both pieces of unpepperonied pizza in my hand, then handed the plate to Levi, "You need to eat something."

He looked at the plate, then back up at me before taking the plate, "Thanks, brat."

We occasionally had some more small talk, which felt forced on some occasions, but otherwise completely natural. And that's how the rest of the day went. Who knew exactly how long we stayed awake, who knew anything about the time either. It could've been hours, or even just minutes. Either way, both of us were exhausted. Levi kept on pestering me to go back to sleep. I pestered back, saying I was young and I would survive. Beings the very stubborn man I knew Levi was, he grabbed me by one of my wrists and pulled me close to him, using me as a body pillow.

The sudden action startled me, sending my heart into a fumbled mess of frantic beating. With Levi's head resting on my chest, his slow breath tickling me over my clothes, I began to pray that my heart beat wasn't keeping him awake. I kept on taking deep breaths, hoping to calm myself down.

And... That's how it's been for who knows how long.

Levi hasn't moved an inch since then. I now can understand why he cursed like a sailor after waking up when I was cuddled on top of him; this cold, hard, tiles floor turns your back into a knotted up mess, like some 6 year old got ahold of a ball of yarn, and a cat. With one hand gripping my wrist, and the other gripping my shirt just above my navel, both the grips of death, he wasn't going to let me get up without a fight.

I glance down at him, and realize how calm and carefree he looks when he's asleep. It's as if all the troubles he had in his past never existed and he was living a life filled with nothing but happiness. I take the hand that doesn't have a death grip on it and begin to run my fingers through his hair. I find this strangely amusing and it calms myself down, too. I don't have a fetish of running my fingers through people's hair; just Levi's, I guess. Knowing about his personality, me being able to do makes me feel... Warm.

"Would you stop petting me like I'm a fucking dog, kid?"

I let out a startled gasp, almost like a wheeze. His grey eyes open slowly, then glare up at me. I'm lost for words, "L-L-L-Levi?! You... You where..."

"Awake? No shit. Not until a few moments ago. Is my hair really that amusing to you?" He closes his eyes with a smirk.

"N-Not necessarily..."

He sits his head up so that his chin rests on my chest and his eyes are staring straight into mine. Those eyes - I've never seen anything more beautiful in my life. Grey, like a violent storm destroying everything around it, but blue, the skies clearing out and the sun shines through. I've never payed attention to someone's eyes before this much ever.

Levi takes the hand that rested above my stomach and raises it to my head, running his fingers through my hair. His eyes never left mine as he brushed away the strains of hair that were in front of my eyes. He tucks some hair behind my ear, sending chills down my twisted spine. This tickling sensations grows in my stomach and I can feel my face grow warm. Levi sees it, too, I just know he does. The warmth in my face increases now, only because I'm now embarrassed. I just let my guard down in front of him.

"You know, brat, if you kept your hair in check, it wouldn't be so had. You'd actually be able to see your eyes."

"M-My eyes?"

"Has anyone ever told you how beautiful they are if you could ever see them behind the muss you call hair?"

"Uh, thanks? I don't know if I was complemented, or insulted."

"Both if you knew me."

"W-Well... Your eyes are pretty, too!" _Damn you, Eren. Here you go with the word vomit again._

He gives me a look filled with disagreement and annoyance, while letting out a groan and rolling his eyes in response.

"You don't believe me, do you?"

"Way to kill the mood, Jaeger," he sits up from my chest and scratches the back of his head, grip still on my wrist.

"Wait... What mood?"

"Has anyone every told you that you are a fucking airhead?"

My opens to actually answer his question (stupid enough) when suddenly, the door to the room flies opens and smacks the wall. The ring of the smack startles Levi and I and our heads quickly turn to the door. I hadn't even gotten the chance to sit up all of the way when Levi takes the write has a grip and pulls,e behind him, as if protective instincts kicked in.

"C.T." slows walks into the room, wearing his muscle mask. His stance is stiff, and is filled with anger. His gaze looks onto mine and he stares me down like I'm a freshly cooked piece of meat; the lion targeting the antelope. I know now - I'm th next player of the game.

I stand up carefully behind Levi and begin to cautiously walk up to "C.T.", ignoring Levi's comments of _"what the hell of you doing?"_ and _are you fucking crazy, get back here!"_ Something seems off to me. The "C.T." standing in front of us isn't the usual "C.T."; their usual "C.T." has a hint of softness in his stance, voice, and eyes. This one in front of me, so far is filled with hate.

"Um... "C.T.", what's goin-"

A sudden punch to the jaw from "C.T." sends me into a dark world...

_______________________________________________________

~ Levi's p.o.v. ~

**********

Fuck you, Eren Jaeger, with your pretty eyes, and soft hair, and irresistible body, and perfect smile, and unnecessary word vomit making my insides squirm. Your existence has now gotten under my skin. Some college brat like you, I never would have guessed.

Eren's body hit the floor with a loud thud; knocked out cold. Blood drips from his mouth as I stood up speechless. "C.T." walks up to his body and picks him up off the floor so if he was just a piece of paper. He turns on his heel to walk out of the room when my words finally make it out of my mouth.

"What the fucking hell? First you bring us pizza, but then you come in here and knock the living day lights out of him?! And don't give me some bullshit answer, dude! What's going on?!"

"C.T." turns to me, with every hint of anger gone from his body, now replaced with guilt, "I'm sorry. I had no choice. I have to bring him to the next game unconscious."

"Why unconscious?" Those two words left my mouth as if I just finished running across the country, gasping for air.

"Because," he pauses, letting out a sigh, "Because "A.T." says it's more fun this way," then, he turns back to the door and leaves, taking the boy who has gotten under my skin with him...

_______________________________________________________

~ Eren's p.o.v ~

**********

My body feels heavy and tingly. It's not like I've never been knocked out before, but this time, the aftershock feels different. I remember the first time I got knocked out by a punch; Jean and I got into an argument gone wrong when we had a disagreement about our choice of video games to play together. Why and how it happened that Jean got me to agree to go over by his house to play video games was beyond me. Actually, it was probably because Marco and Connie were going to be there, too.

The sneaky bastard caught me off guard, and punch sent me flying. The first _and only_ real good punch he's ever layer on me.

I can feel a drop of sweat slowly make its way down my forehead and into my left eye. I go to lift my hand up to wipe it away... But I can't. Both of my arms and legs are bounded to a chair by duct tape. I want to say something, call out, but I can't. Something is covering my mouth.

I open my eyes to reveal that I'm in a small, dark room with brick walls and no windows. The room is humid and hot as hell. Now this was definitely a boiler room. My head is pounding as I finally realize that something is attached to it; something metal and something so damn uncomfortable. This device, whatever it is, wraps around my forehead and around my mouth. It's sending a pinching sensation into my mouth, forcing my mouth to be open slightly, but no words are coming out. Just muffled noises. These pinches hurt like a bitch, as if something is sticking a million needles into my lips and my gums. My heart is racing under my chest with fear.

"Good morning, Eren," "A.T." chuckles over a loud speaker, "you look very alert today."

I groan in protest.

He laughs, "Oh, you are a character. So interesting. Anyway, I can see you a bit of a sticky situation now that you oh so definitely want to get out of, am I correct?"

I make a noise, answering his sadistic question.

"Very well. It's time for round two. This is going to be exciting. I know you've been in this kind of situation before, Eren, so I hope you can handle yourself quite well here."

My mouth goes dry; my parents. The day my parents were murdered, Mikasa and I were bounded to the kitchen chairs by duct tape. Just before the cops arrived, I squirmed my way out of the duct tape to sit next to my parents' died bodies. What shocks me the most, is that this "A.T." knows about that. I can feel the rage boiling up in my chair as I start to squirm in this wooden seat he has me stuck in. _I will end you. I will tear your fucking head off and feed it to the fucking geese._

"Oh no, Eren. You can't start yet. I haven't begun to explain the rules to this game yet. They are very simple. So... Ready to play?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ohhhh... Poor Eren T~T
> 
> For your information, I am an American, and this is how schooling goes...  
> Kindergarten - 5th grade; elementary school  
> 6th - 8th; middle school  
> 9th - 12th; high school
> 
> Just in case y'all didn't know... I'll shut up now. /.\
> 
> Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed a dense Eren xD


	8. Sentimental Thoughts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren thinks about his future; Levi thinks about the feeling called "love"; can you spell "awkward"?; a sprinkle of German.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all, I apologize for this chapter being so late. I have no excuses for it, except for the fact that procrastination is a big part of my life. Dx
> 
> Second, I'm not all that happy with this chapter. I've rewritten it about a bazillion times, so I guess I will settle with this. The next chapter should definitely be better than this, but I had to update this chapter... I couldn't keep you guys waiting anymore.
> 
> Third, holy moly... This has 100+ kudos. Thank you guys so so SO much for all of the support with this fiction, plus the other I'm working on. You don't know how happy this had made me :)
> 
> Anyway... Sit back, relax, and enjoy :D

~ Eren's p.o.v. ~

**********

"Why don't I start with the rules of the game then?" The sound of "A.T."s voice curdles my stomach, "As you can see, you're pretty much stuck in a sticky situation. If you can remove yourself from the duct tape and find the key that unlocks the contraption attached to your head, you can live another day. If you fail, well... Let's just say your jaw will be removed from your mouth, and I can't guarantee your survival."

I can't tell how wide my eyes just went, but if I could, I think the circumference of the Earth just doesn't match my eyes. My body feels heavy with anxiety, my mouth feels dry with fear, and my mind is going crazy. I gaze down at my bounded wrists and notice how white my hands are turning. Damn, this bastard is playing dirty.

"Oh... Did I forget to tell you that you only have 5 minutes to remove yourself and find this key to your survival?"

_Of fucking course!_

I groan and grunt loudly, hoping he could understand every swear word muffled by this contraption attached to my face.

"A.T." chuckles, "Well then, Eren... I see you're eager to get things started, so," a digital countdown clocks appears on a screen sitting on a small table to my right. I swallow hard as "A.T."s voice booms throughout the room, "Let the games begin."

One second down. At first, I panic. I wiggle and move in any way I possibly can, causing the chair to move with me on some occasions. My heart feels like it will jump out from my throat at any second. I ball my hands into fists so hard that I can faintly see the veins that run throughout me perfectly. I want to scream my lungs out; even though I know my screams wouldn't be heard, I feel like screaming and letting out some noise would ease my tension.

I move around enough to make the chair scoot over to my right a few inches, the wooden legs growling against the ground. This wooden chair... I realize how uncomfortable I really am. How badly my back is tingling, my bottom is aching, and how back I need to stand up and run away.

Suddenly, _bingo!_ I can sense the presence of a light bulb above me. Clenching my fists even harder, and curling my toes, I begin to thrash around on the chair. With this doohickey on my head, I can feel my body grow heavy and numb the harder and faster I moved, but I know I can't stop. I don't plan on it. I can even feel the blood flowing around my wrists and ankles slowing down; that makes me move about more violently. My neck feels like a noodle, and body feels like a brick.

_Crack._

Just the sound I was listening for. My eyes practically pop out of my face with hope. I swallow a lump in my throat, and my thrashing begins to turn from violently, to franticly with determination. With every second, I can feel my body slowly giving up itself as it's growing tired and sore - I'm mentally yelling at my brain that I'm not tired. _I'm not giving up!_

_CRACK!_

The wooden chair crumbles underneath me, wood flying like bullets across the room and shooting pain into my body. I wouldn't be surprised if I had larger than normal splinters stuck in my body where splinters normally shouldn't be. My head forcefully hits the ground hard enough that my visions goes blurry for a few seconds. I groan in pain. _How much time do I have left...?_ I didn't know, and it's hard for me to focus on time when I couldn't stand up due to the pain. I can feel every curse word in the book on the top of my tongue because the pain is so unbearable. My head is pounding, as if someone is taking a hammer and is using me as a human nail. 

Suck it up, Eren, is what I mentally tell myself. With pieces of wood still stuck to me, I slowly but surely stand up, a hiss or two of pain leaving my throat. The arms and legs of the chairs are still duct taped to my wrists and ankles, but who really gives a fuck anymore? As my visions regains itself from the blurriness, I find the time clock hanging from the ceiling; less than two minutes left. _Fuck, shit, balls!_ I know I still have to find the so called "key" that's supposed to unlock this thingamajig from my head. I suddenly recall what this thing's going to do if I can't find this key in time, and in all honestly, I like my jaw. I'm quite fond of it and would definitely not like it to get ripped off of my face anytime soon. 

I definitely have the assumption that the loss of blood would kill me here. I'm not going to die in this shitty place. Just like in those actions/drama movies, or whatever kind of Hollywood Classic, I begin to think of all the things I haven't done in my life and still want to do - I need to become a cop; I need to get over my fear of blood; I want to see the world with Mikasa and Armin; I want to go on road trips with them and my group of friends; I want to at least _try_ and go a whole hour of my life without wanting to rip Jean's dick off and shoving down his throat; I've always wanted to try and have a food eating contest with Connie and Sasha (though we probably know Sasha would be victorious in the end, but a guy can dream); I want to see what Levi's life is like outside of this hellhole.

_Levi? Why would I-_

My mind stops that thought as I glance at the time clock once more.

_Here we go again... If I were a key, where would I be? If I were "A.T.", how much of a sadist should I be when hiding this piece of metal?_

I remember. This is all a game to him. I need to think outside the box when trying to find this key; anything is possible. _Damn, it's moments like this where I wished I had Armin's smarts. But then again, it's not everyday thing where you get kidnap and forced to stay in a bipolar climate controlled room with a surprisingly handsome stranger and you have to fight for your life._ I gaze around the room, hoping for any kind of clue that could help me figure something out. Anything would be fine with me at this point.

 _**EREN**_

A piece of paper stuck in the corner of the room catches my eyes. I raise an eyebrow and limp over to said paper and each down to pick it up, ignoring the pain worming its way throughout my body with each step I take and every moment I make. The side of my name on it only has my name on it. I flip the paper over and in the corner of the paper in tiny text read;

 _**You may be able to see yourself on it, but that doesn't mean you're really on it.**_

_What the fuck is that supposed to mean?_

Now I really wish Armin were here, he's really good with puzzles and riddles and all of that nerdy mumbo jumbo. I frantically glance around the room with kind of hope that maybe, just maybe I know what this riddle is talking about. _You can see yourself on it..._ I begin to think of a mirror, as in a "reflection". Of course with my luck, there is no mirrors in this room. I let out a muffled noise in frustration. The room doesn't have a lot in it to begin with; there's myself, the now broken chair, some boilers, some paper scattered everywhere, a some table with a fairly small television on top of it, a- 

_A TELEVISON!_

I limp over to the table standing up against the wall parallel to the piece of paper I found with the riddle on it. With my heart racing up in my throat, I look around the television, behind it, on the table, on the floor around it - the key is nowhere to be seen. _Unless..._

Without a second thought, I ball up my right hand into a fist and punch through the television screen. This definitely hurt twice as worse as the paint hat ran through my body when I crushed the wooden chair. All I can see is blood covering my hand. Blood. For the first in a long time, I don't worry about the sticky, red liquid running down my fingers. My eyes scan the inside of the television, around all of the wires and such that made this television work, if it even worked at all. Well, either way, it doesn't work now.

And I'm right; I pull the key to the contraption out from the inside of the television and rejoice in my mind. Now, I guess it's my job to get this off of my head before I regret my early celebration. With my mind working at a thousand miles per second, I quickly pat down the metal doohickey attached to my heads, my hands skating with every movement as I desperately try to find some sort of keyhole. _If I were a keyhole, where would I be?_ I don't find myself asking that question everyday. 

I come across a hole in the back of this contraption, right above the nape of my neck that feels like it has the same shape as the key. No second thoughts needed as I quickly bring the key behind my head and try my best to align the key with the hole as fast as I can. My hands are shaking so badly that I feel like I could drop the key at any second and waste more time than I already have. I don't even know how much time I have left anyway, and there's a part of me that doesn't want to check, fearing that my nerves would sky rocket if I did double check.

_Click._

_I GOT IT!_

With all of my nerves suddenly realizing themselves from my body, I remove the contraption in a split second, and no giving any fucks, I throw it it the air and back away quickly. Right before it hits the ground, the machine snaps, signaling what it would have looked like if my jaw got ripped off of my head. The loud snap of the machine echoed throughout the room and the sound of it crashing to the floor sent chills down my spine as I finally sinks in. I just barely made it...

I sigh as I take one more look around the room. Red. Red. Red. I see so much blood. Bloody footprints scatter around the room. _My_ bloody footprints. I'm blooding from more places besides my hand. Suddenly, my whole body feels heavy. The last thing I hear as my body gives up on itself;

_"Good job, Eren."_

_______________________________________________________

~ Levi's p.o.v. ~

**********

"Levi, can you help me, please?"

I didn't even hear the door open. I didn't feel someone else's presence with me. How long have I been staring up at the ceiling since Eren left? I sit up from laying on top of the blanket Eren and I have been sharing to find "C.T." carrying Eren over his shoulder, while Eren is unconscious. "C.T." lays Eren down in front me; the brat is covered in blood and sweat, and around his lips and jaw around about 2-3 dozen itty bitty holes, as if someone gave him one too many piercing and didn't even bother to give him the body jewelry.

"What the hell happened to him?" My voice was definitely more harsh than I intented it to be, but I was truly worried about the kid.

"I thinks it's best if he tells you when he wakes up. Here. We need to cleanup his wounds before they become worse."

"C.T." rolls Eren onto his stomach and lifts up his shirt to reveal his bloody back with small pieces of wood sticking out from some of his wounds. Just what the fuck do they make the kid do? I'm tempting to ask this tall bastard what happened, but I know he's not going to tell me. Even if I threaten him with his life, even though he seems slightly skittish, he probably won't budge an inch. Besides, with him and "A.T." Being all buddy busy, I won't get very far.

I keep Eren's shirt in place right around his shoulder blades as "C.T." begins to stitch up with wounds that are worse off than the others. He's definitely showing care with every stitch, and is being cautious with every piece of wood, big or small, that he removes from Eren's body. I slightly wonder what kind of facial he has glued to his face under that hideous mask of his. I'm surprised I'm even this curious.

We cautiously sit Eren in silence and "C.T." begins to wrap gauze around his torso. Surprisingly, the kid is more toned and tanned than he appears to be. His clothing tells you otherwise. Putting two and two together - his gorgeous body and beautiful body, the kid is without a doubt, _a looker._ I mentally punch myself in the face for thinking such thoughts about some brat more than 10 years younger than me. I push the thought to the back of my mind, as if I didn't just think this kid in front of me who looks like he just rolled away from death hot as hell. He then proceeds to wrap gauze around his bloody hand, which isn't too bad to really need stitches.

"Here," the masked man hands me a bottle of pills (pain meds) and the extra gauze. "He's going to need these when he wakes up. I'm sorry, I can't do much more than this."

"Not a problem."

I adjust Eren so that he's laying down on his side with his head laying on my lap. "C.T." stands up, adjust his clothing to remove any wrinkles, and cautiously goes to leave the room. This doesn't make any sense, even to me. Why is he helping is? First, Eren said he left us pizza, now he's treating his injuries. My body and mind wants to know. _God dammit._

"Hey, you."

"C.T." flinches and turns around slightly, "Yes?"

"Why're you helping us? Aren't you supposed to be some fucking big, tough, bad guy bent on raising hell and making our lives miserable. Shit. You left us pizza. You helped this brat so help ulster bleed to death. This doesn't make any fucking sense. Tell me. Humor me. Why're doing this?"

He drops his gaze from me, almost with regret, "Even I don't understand myself. I don't like hurting people, but-"

"But what? You work with your buddy "A.T." right? You have some fucking type of say in this. If you think this is wrong, say something. Stand up for yourself, you pussy."

Surprisingly, he didn't flinch at my choice of words, or my tone of voice. All he said was, "I can't do that."

"And why the hell not?"

He gives me a melancholy smile and answers, "Because... I just can't go against the person I love." And with that answer, he leaves the room, leaving me a bit taken back by his response.

_Love. That fucking emotion._ It's one you can't really describe until you have experienced it. Have I experienced it? Possibly. I have the feeling I loved Petra when we were together. She made me feel like I was her top priority, and that I was the only person in the world that mattered to her. For a time, I felt the same about her. Her smile was never forced; it was always sweet, genuine, and pure. Her smile was always of something extra whenever we were together, and I can admit I liked it when she shared a different type of smile with me than with others. Her light eyes always shined when she was passionate about something, and I always found it fascinating. When she died, I guess you could say I experienced a broken heart for the first time. 

I know I had people I messed around with in the past. I'm not afraid to admit that I one point, I was one of those men who thought with their penis. Am I ashamed? Not really, because every fucking man has done that at least once. When I had my fling with Erwin, did I love him? Most likely not. Not in a romantic way, at least. Hell, he was a good fuck when the time was right, but in the end, with all that he's done for me, I realized that I loved him like a brother. I love Hanji like a sister, too, even though she drives me up a fucking wall and towards the ceiling. Everyone has that one type of friend that you see as a sibling figure, though.

Damn, I haven't thought about love or any mushy feelings like this in a long time. I guess work has really taken over my life that I haven't thought about being a relationship with some man or woman. Hell, I don't even find myself appealing at all. What did Petra really see in me? What did Erwin really see in me? Why does Hanji like to be around me so much?

I glance down at the unconscious young man laying in front of me and run my fingers through is his dirty, mop hair. I don't even know why I'm touching him so willingly. There's a ticking noise in the back of my mind telling my fingers to back the fuck up and stop touching the kid because he's filthy, but on the other hand, I'm equally as filthy. And I can't help it; as messy as it is, his hair is still surprisingly soft and fun to play with. Yes, I said fun.

_And why does this brat feel so comfortable around me? I'm just some stranger..._

This brat has probably never been in love before. I know he's told me about the only serious relationship with he's been in with some girl (what was her name... Angie? Ally? Whatever.), but judging by what he's told me about it so far, there was really no "love" in their relationship. Only "like". He has his two best friends, Armin and Mikasa, who he'd ramble about no stop, and you can definitely tell from the vibe that radiates from him that he loves them like family. No fucking doubt about it. And I bet you the brat has had his fair share of crushes. He probably has a fan group of girls crushing hard on him right now. He's probably never given a double take to a man before in his life at all.

Feeling my guilt rush to my stomach, I let out a heavy sigh and close my eyes, hoping I can calm myself from all these sentimental thoughts I'm suddenly having.

_______________________________________________________

~ Eren's p.o.v. ~

**********

_There it is again. This warm feeling. It's comforting. It's relaxing. I feel it tickling inside my stomach, as if my tummy is filled with feathers. What does this feel like? Is this what they call-_

"Oi, damn brat. I know you're awake. You stopped snoring. Get up, my legs fell asleep."

Well, there go my feathers, flying away in the cool breeze that Levi's words brought with him. I groan and roll over onto my back. Bad idea. I let out a squeak of pain and sit up right away. I didn't even have a mental freak out that my head was laying on Levi's lap again. My back is in so much pain that it's clouding my thoughts.

"Welcome back to reality, kid."

I ignore the smirk on his face and ask, "Why does my back hurt so much?"

He shrugs his shoulders, "Sometimes being a bottom sucks, brat."

"Being a... What?" My face grows hotter than the Sahara desert as the sudden realization of what he meant pops into my head, "D-D-Don't take ab-bout things like that, jerk!"

I hear click his tongue, "God damn, take a joke, you virgin brat. I'm just messing with you. Anyway, I should be asking you that question. You're the one who showed up unconscious with a bloodied up back."

Honestly, I don't remember too much, except for the fact that I punched a television. My head is still pounding, and I place my bandaged hand up to my head, thinking maybe the throbbing pain would stop with a bit of pressure. Suddenly, Levi shakes a pill bottle in front of my head. The sounds rings through my ears, and even that hurts. 

"You're gonna need these, kid. Can you take them without water?"

Fumbling with the bottle, I answer, "Yeah, I can swallow."

Levi raises an eyebrow and snickers, "You swallow, huh?"

"Shut it, perv," my face grows warms again as I place two pills into my mouth.

"Make me, Madonna."

"Madonna."

"Like a virgin? You don't get it? God, Eren..."

I drop my gaze, "B-But I am one..."

Silence stretches over us. I was a bit confused actually. Why is Levi suddenly telling me this shitty, gay boy jokes? I know Levi likes guys, but I didn't know he was really open to show it like this. Hell, I don't even know my own real feelings. Levi is a really good looking man, and I mean _really good looking, hot damn,_ but I've never really thought about another man like that. Never. I mean, I've told Armin in the past that he looked nice when he was in science competitions and had to dress up for them, but even that's a little weird since Armin and I are so close as best friends.

"Sorry, kid," Levi broke the silence.

"Me too."

"What the hell are _you_ sorry for?"

I take a deep breath, "For not really remembering what happened to me. Or maybe. I just don't want to remember. But when I do, I'll tell you, okay?"

"Heh, growing soft, are we?"

I look up at him and laugh, "I should be asking you that same question, old man."

"The word _soft_ isn't in my fucking vocabulary, kid. Don't start with me."

"This has already started. Bereits begonnen."

"What the fuck was that?" I see the corners of his lips twitch.

"Two of the very few words I know in German."

"Oh? So you know some German?"

I shot back quickly, "Not as much as you know French."

"Well, alright then. Tell me something in German."

"Sie sind verdammt heiß und es ist nicht fair..." My voice was barely a whisper and my face flushed red once again.

"Jaeger, if your face keeps turning that red, you're going to turn into a permeant tomato." 

"Beißen mich."

I swear I see a true smile form itself on Levi's face; perfectly straight teeth, whiter and brighter than the sun and warmer than any fuzzy feeling I've felt. Strangely, that feeling makes its way back into my stomach. I wrap my arms around my waist, hoping this strange feeling goes away, and hope that this blush isn't what I think it means...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translation;
> 
> "Bereits begonnen." - Already started.  
> "Sie sind verdammt heiß und es ist nicht fair.." You are so fucking hot and it's not fair..  
> "Beißen mich." - Bite me.
> 
> Comments + kudos are greatly welcomed :)
> 
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> 
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> Until next time~!


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